


keep me in your glow

by brightbolt, NSFWAdora



Category: She-Ra and the Princesses of Power (2018)
Genre: Aftercare, Alternate Universe - Human, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - Sugar Daddy, Enthusiastic Consent, Explicit Consent, F/F, Fluff and Smut, Light Angst, Light BDSM, Nonbinary Adora (She-Ra), Plot What Plot/Porn Without Plot, Porn with Feelings, Power Dynamics, Public Sex, Semi-Public Sex, Strap-Ons, Sugar Daddy, Trans Character, Vaginal Fingering, adora is a rich business exec, catra is a grad student
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-26
Updated: 2021-02-27
Packaged: 2021-03-18 13:01:12
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 60,065
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28992594
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/brightbolt/pseuds/brightbolt, https://archiveofourown.org/users/NSFWAdora/pseuds/NSFWAdora
Summary: "“Oh my God,” Catra said, barely above a whisper. “You’re rich as fuck, aren’t you?”“Guilty,” Adora said, cringing a little. “Sorry. I thought Glimmer told you.”“I’m gonna fucking kill her.” Catra shook her head, trying to wipe the stunned expression off her face. “I can’t believe she set me up on a blind date with a goddamn millionaire.”“Yeah,” Adora said awkwardly. “Oops.”“It’s—” Catra shook her head. “Okay, Glimmer aside, how would you paying for my tuition even work? I mean, we—we’ve only been on one date, and it’s not even over yet.”“It’s a crazy idea,” Adora said. “I know. Just—just forget I said anything.”Maybe it was the buzz of alcohol, or maybe it was the shock of finding out she was on a blind date with a rich person, but Catra couldn’t stop herself from blurting, “Well, I didn’t say no.”A beat.Adora blinked, looking up at her. “What?”Or: Catra is a physics PhD student struggling to balance life, work, and loans. When her friend sets her up on a blind date, she doesn't expect it to be with the most attractive millionaire she's ever seen. They work out an arrangement.
Relationships: Adora/Catra (She-Ra)
Comments: 220
Kudos: 1167
Collections: Catradora to reread





	1. the arrangement

**Author's Note:**

> hi everyone! yes, you read the tags right. this is a sugar daddy au, and it's based on a prompt i did months ago on tumblr that hasn't left my mind since.
> 
> it's gonna be 18k of sexy times and genuinely cute interactions, so buckle up! this is technically a multichapter fic, but updates will be sporadic and only loosely connected. i just think this idea is hot. if you want something with a little more plot, i'd recommend checking out the other fics alex & i wrote (such as break me like a promise and glory & gore), but if you want fun easy sexy times you've come to the right place. 
> 
> also! adora is in fact nonbinary in this fic, and will be referred to as Mr. Grayskull because i think she deserves it. it doesn't make her a man. she just has a funky relationship with gender presentation. 
> 
> if you like this kind of work and want to see more, i've linked our socials at the end! without further ado i present our infamous sugar daddy au.
> 
> comments, kudos, and bookmarks are endlessly appreciated :) thank you in advance
> 
> (title comes from golden hour by kacey musgraves)

Catra was going to _kill_ her best friend. 

She was standing in the middle of downtown LA in one of her nicest pantsuits (and more makeup than she was used to), she was sweating in the heat, her date was late, and it was allGlimmer’s fault.

For a moment, Catra debated leaving. She had a class to teach tomorrow morning, after all. As an applied physics grad student and TA, it wasn’t like she could just _wing_ it. She’d prepared, of course, but having more time to work on it was never a bad thing.

Her phone buzzed with a text. 

**glimmer _:_** _has she shown up yet?_

**catra: __**_no. and im going to kill you if she stands me up_

**glimmer: __**_relax. she’s not going to do that. she probably just got caught in traffic._

She looked up. There were a ton of people outside the doors, and she could’ve sworn she saw a few celebrities mixed into the crowd. 

**catra: __**_also, what the fuck kind of blind date goes to a michelin-starred restaurant_

**catra: __**_is she rich. be honest_

**glimmer: __**_if she took you to the dragon’s daughter it’s bc she knows the owner_

**catra: __**_it’s still weirdly fancy_

**catra: __**_and it’s still your fault if i get stood up_

Catra looked up one more time to cast a quick, desperate glance around. As expected, she came up empty-handed again. 

It _was_ Glimmer’s fault, to be fair. She had helped Catra through a recent breakup, and was the one who had set her up on this stupid blind date to begin with. _One of my friends from high school is moving to the city,_ she had said. _She’s funny. You’d like her._

Well, neither of them were laughing now. Catra scratched at her neck, itching at the necklace digging into her skin. 

Maybe it was best that she left now. It had been almost thirty minutes, after all, and there was no sign of—

“Hi,” A voice called, tentative, behind her. “ Are—are you Catra?” Catra whipped around to see a tall, strong-looking blonde that happened to be the most attractive person Catra had ever seen. Just her fucking luck.

It was unfair, really. Her hair was cropped short and styled in an artfully messy way, her shoulders were broad, and Catra could see the definition of her muscles through her shirt. Leave it to Catra to get the hottest blind date in history.

“Hi,” The woman said, giving her a shy smile. She reached out a strong, veiny hand. “I’m Adora. I-I’m Glimmer’s friend. You look—” Her eyes moved slowly up and down Catra’s body, making her squirm just a little at the sudden attention. “Damn. You look amazing.”

Catra took the offered hand, swallowing to herself as she realized just how big it was. “Thanks. You’re, um. You’re not so bad yourself.” It was true. Adora wore a red suit jacket over a clean, crisp-looking white shirt tucked into a _sinfully_ form-fitting pair of black slacks. 

Forcing her eyes back to Adora’s, Catra tried to put herself back in control of the situation. “You’re late,” She said, raising an eyebrow. 

Adora nodded as her expression turned to one of chagrin. “I know. I’m sorry about that. Traffic here is worse than I’m used to.” She turned to nod towards the door, and the movement made her jaw and the surrounding tendons in her neck pull taut. 

Catra had to swallow down a whine at the definition. It was as though she had been sculpted from marble and brought to life. Adora seemed not to notice her reaction. “I changed our reservation in the car, though, so hopefully they have our table ready.” 

“You know, you’re not supposed to text and drive.” Catra’s brow furrowed. The longer she stared, the more sure it made her that Adora that looked familiar, but she couldn’t place why. 

“Oh, I wasn’t the one driving,” Adora said casually, turning back to her with a smile. “Follow me.” Pushing aside her confusion, Catra did. 

Adora led them up to the hostess’ counter, weaving expertly through the crowds of people waiting to get inside. “Wait here,” She said to Catra, leaving for a moment. For some reason, Catra listened, and watched Adora walk up to the counter and discuss something in low tones. 

Whatever she said, it made the hostess’ eyes widen. She nodded profusely to Adora, who turned to beckon Catra forward with a lopsided grin. 

Looking back on it, that should have been her first sign that something was amiss. Catra had worked at restaurants since she was 15, and she’d spent more than enough time in them to know that anywhere with a line out the door should have had a longer wait time.

It _also_ told her that some tables were better than others. 

Some were by the doors to the kitchen, and were always disrupted by movement. Others were by the windows, and got more than their share of sunlight. 

Sometimes, in Catra’s experience, attitude helped get a better spot, but even then it was largely up to chance.

So when the hostess led them to their seat, Catra knew in an instant that they had very deliberately been seated at the best table in the restaurant.

Catra swallowed down a flash of nervousness as Adora pulled out her chair for her. It was a small gesture of chivalry, but it was more than Catra was used to. Considering her ex barely even gave her the time of day, it was something of a foreign feeling. 

Adora sat down in front of her a moment later with a small, shy smile. Catra had to tell herself the butterflies she felt were from how posh the restaurant was, not the person across from her.

Their waiter came by a few minutes later, handing them menus, and Catra swallowed thickly as her eyes landed on the prices. Everything sounded wonderful, of course. They just didn’t sound _$60-for-a-piece-of-fish_ wonderful. 

Adora seemed to sense her apprehension, because she leaned forward and said, “Hey, don’t worry. I know the owner. Dinner’s on me tonight, okay?”

“No, I-I can’t let you do that,” Catra said instantly. “I mean, at least let me pay for _some_ of it.”

“Then you can buy our drinks,” Adora said with a smile. 

“How are those equivalent?”

Adora grinned. “I have expensive taste.”

When the waiter came by to take their drink order, Adora rattled off the name of some whiskey Catra had never heard of. She, meanwhile, ordered a double shot of cheap vodka and figured it would be good enough.

They made awkward attempts at conversation, though it was largely limited to comments about the weather and the menu. Adora was hot, but that didn’t mean she could salvage a bad conversation. After they ordered their food, Catra was starting to wonder if she should fake an emergency.

“So,” Adora said after the waiter left. After a brief sigh, she gave Catra a small, awkward smile. “This is weird, right?”

Maybe an emergency wouldn’t be necessary after all. “Oh, completely,” Catra said. “Blind dates are the worst. I almost didn’t come.” Catra felt her lips quirk up as Adora smiled, relieved. 

A short silence settled between them, though it felt different from the others. Catra broke it. “So… Glimmer said you guys were friends in high school?”

Adora nodded. “Technically it was a prep school, but yeah. We were. I actually met her and Bow in band freshman year.”

“Band?” Catra said, taking a sip of her vodka. She made a face at the taste, but swallowed easily enough. “You’re kidding me.”

“I’m not,” Adora shook her head. She put on a cocky smile for show. “You’re talking to a former Bright Moon Prep drum major.”

Catra felt herself smile. It was a genuine one, which was new as well considering how accustomed she was used to faking them. “Oh, well, I didn’t know I was in such _esteemed_ company,” She said, putting on a dramatic tone for the word. “You should’ve told me sooner. I would’ve bowed.”

“You’re forgiven,” Adora said, faking a lofty tone. “You’re right, though. It’s a pretty major status symbol.” She paused for a moment, watching Catra laugh with a smile on her face. 

“Seriously, though, I didn’t expect you to be a band kid,” Catra said, cocking her head to the side a little. “Did you stick with it?”

Adora frowned. “What do you mean?”

“Well, since you haven’t told me yet, I’m trying to figure out what you do for a living,” Catra said, raising an eyebrow.

Adora’s expression turned to one of interest. She raised an eyebrow, leaning back in her seat. “And what have you come up with so far?”

Catra shrugged, letting out a thoughtful sigh. “It’s hard to say. Maybe you’re a professional musician coming to play with the LA Philharmonic, or maybe you’re a producer for a major record label.”

Adora nodded. “Maybe. Or maybe I’m just someone who works in finance,” She said, raising an eyebrow. “Tough to say.”

Catra made a face. “ _Finance_ ,” She repeated, shaking her head a little. “God. No wonder you took me to such a fancy place.”

“Oh, I just know the owner,” Adora said. “Sea Hawk. He and I were friends in college. He mentioned a while back he had a restaurant here, and… honestly, it was the only place I could think of.” 

She paused for a moment, then nodded toward Catra. “But enough about me. I want to hear about you, Catra. Tell me about yourself.”

Catra had always hated hearing that. _Tell me about yourself_. It was such a general, all-encompassing question that it was completely impossible to answer. “That’s kind of broad, don’t you think?”

Adora rolled her eyes. “Fine. Start by telling me about your job, then.”

Normally, Catra hated listening to people, but she figured there was no harm in doing it tonight. “Well, most nights I work as a bartender in Westwood, but I’m actually a PhD student at UCLA,” Catra said. “This is my—” She stopped for a moment, counting on her fingers. “My third year.”

Adora’s eyes widened, impressed. “For what subject?”

“Applied physics,” Catra said. “Most of my work is in engineering, but I’ve been branching out into particle interaction too.”

Adora let out a low whistle. “Holy shit. So you’re, like, _smart_ smart.”

Catra shrugged. “I do my best.”

“So, what are you studying right now?” Adora asked, leaning forward a little. She propped her head up on a hand. “Are you doing your own research on anything? I wanna hear it all.”

A moment of stunned silence passed before Catra let out a surprised laugh. “Um. Are you sure? Most people get bored when I talk about it.”

“I’m not most people.” Adora said. She smiled, raising her eyebrows encouragingly. “Tell me everything.”

To her surprise, Catra did. 

She started slow at first, going over the project in the most basic of terms, but by the time their food arrived she had picked up steam. 

As time went on, she found herself talking about it with increasing enthusiasm. Catra described the finer points and more technical aspects with a kind of fondness she reserved for conversations with her professors, to the point of drawing a force diagram on a receipt she found in her pocket.

Their food was cold by the time Catra finished, but Adora had listened to it all with a shy smile on her face that widened by the second. At the sight of it, Catra paused. “What?”

“Your face lights up when you talk about your work,” Adora said, her smile softening. “You’re really, really smart. Like, _crazy_ smart.”

Catra told herself it was the alcohol that made her blush. “Oh,” She said. “I mean, it’s—it’s not that impressive—”

“Yes, it is. I work with some really fuckin’ smart people, and I think you could blow them all out of the water.” Adora’s smile faded for a second. “Wait. You said you have a job, right?” At Catra’s nod, Adora asked, “How many hours a week do you work?”

“I dunno. A normal amount,” Catra shrugged. “Usually between 30 and 40.”

Adora raised her eyebrows. “And that’s on top of your work for your program?”

“Yeah.” Adora was giving her a weirdly intense look. Catra shifted in her seat. “Why?”

“I’m just wondering why you work so much.”

Catra blinked. She couldn’t keep the scoff out of her voice as she said, “I mean, it’s not exactly a cheap program. And I still have loans to pay off from undergrad.”

“Does the university pay for any of it?”

Catra shifted in her seat. Money had always been a sore spot, especially in recent years. She couldn’t keep a defensive edge out of her voice. “They give me a stipend, yeah, but it barely covers rent here. We didn’t all grow up going to prep school.”

“That’s not—” Adora held up her hands in front of her. “I-I’m sorry. I don’t mean to offend you, Catra. If it ever gets to be too much, I—” Her words died in her throat. “Never mind. That’s— I can’t—”

That was weird. “What?” Catra frowned. 

“No, it’s—it’s completely out of line,” Adora said, shaking her head. “I mean, we _just_ met, and—”

Catra narrowed her eyes. “Now you have to say it.”

“I was going to offer to cover your tuition,” Adora said, sighing. She put her head in her hands, and appeared to miss the way Catra’s eyes bulged out of their sockets. 

“You were going to pay for my tuition,” Catra repeated, dumbstruck. “I— why would you—”

“I know, I know,” Adora said. “it’s ridiculous, but… you have such an incredible mind.” Adora paused for a moment, rubbing her forehead before looking up. “You know you’re the first person I’ve been able to have a normal conversation with in years?”

That was a weird thing to say. Catra narrowed her eyes. “What?”

“Yeah. Just—” Adora shook her head. “You’re funny, and you’re smart, and I can tell just by listening to you talk that you have an _absurdly_ bright future ahead of you. You should be able to focus on your work full-time.”

Catra blinked. “How the fuck can you afford to pay for that?”

After a beat, Adora frowned. “Wait, Glimmer didn’t tell you?”

Catra had known Glimmer since her first day of undergrad, and considered her one of her closest friends— if not _the_ closest. That meant many things. 

One of them, though, was that there was no possible way that sentence could mean anything good. 

Catra felt suspicion creep up on her, and narrowed her eyes even further. “No,” She said, unsure of what Adora meant. “All she told me was that you were funny, and that you guys went to high school together. That’s it.”

Adora’s eyes widened. “Oh.”

“What do you mean, _oh_?”

“Um.” Adora shifted in her seat. “So she didn’t tell you my last name, huh?”

“Why would that—” Catra’s eyes widened until they were the size of dinner plates.

Everything from their night together finally _clicked_ in her head: the Michelin star restaurant, the best table in the house, the constant, nagging sense of familiarity— this wasn’t just Glimmer’s friend Adora. 

This was _Adora_ _Grayskull_. 

Like, Forbes 30 Under 30 business luminary Adora Grayskull. The one that took over as the CFO for her parents’ company only a few years before, and the one that had since made headlines almost every week since for how she was helping to push it into the future. 

Catra had read on Twitter somewhere that she was taking over their LA branch. 

Somewhere in her mind, the words _my friend is moving down here_ rang distantly. 

Catra’s eye twitched. Glimmer was _dead_ for this. “Oh my God,” She said, barely above a whisper. “You’re rich as fuck, aren’t you?”

“Guilty,” Adora said, cringing a little. “Sorry. I thought she told you.”

“I’m gonna fucking kill her.” Catra shook her head, trying to wipe the stunned expression off her face. “I can’t believe she set me up on a blind date with a goddamn millionaire.”

“Yeah,” Adora said awkwardly. “Oops.”

“It’s—” Catra shook her head. “Okay, Glimmer aside, how would you paying for my tuition even work? I mean, we—we’ve only been on one date, and it’s not even over yet.”

“It’s a crazy idea,” Adora said. “I know. Just—just forget I said anything.”

Maybe it was the buzz of alcohol, or maybe it was the shock of finding out she was on a blind date with a rich person, but Catra couldn’t stop herself from blurting, “Well, I didn’t say _no_.” 

A beat. 

Adora blinked, looking up at her. “What?”

“Well, I mean,” Catra said, grasping for words and ignoring her blush, “you’re not _wrong_. I would have a hell of a lot more time to work on my research and prep for my classes.”

“Right,” Adora said carefully.

“Yeah, but how would I pay you back?” Catra asked, frowning. “I mean, if you’re going to be my sugar daddy…” She trailed off, feeling her blush return to her face. “Would you… want some sugar in return?”

Adora blinked. “Oh. I-I didn’t think about that.”

“You didn’t.”

“I didn’t!” Adora insisted. “I— listen. I don’t want to do anything you’re not comfortable with.” She paused for a moment, then pulled out a sleek brown wallet from her pocket. 

“Here,” She said, pulling out one, two, four, then six hundred-dollar bills. She slid them across the table. “Take this as an advance. It should cover textbooks for this quarter.”

Catra stared at it for a second, then looked back up at her. “That’s six hundred dollars.”

“I’m aware,” Adora said, nodding. “Hey, do you need a new computer? Because I have a friend at Apple. I can get you one for free.”

“Do I—” Catra blinked. “Maybe? I don’t know?” She shook her head a little. “I— this is a little overwhelming for me.”

“Of course. That makes complete sense,” Adora nodded in understanding, putting her hands up in a mix of apology and surrender. 

She took out a business card from her wallet, sliding it across the table. “Here. Take a few days, think the whole thing over, and call my office when you’re ready to talk. We can… I dunno, set up an _arrangement_.”

“So you’re not fucking with me, right?” Catra blurted. “This isn’t some elaborate joke with Glimmer? Because if it is, I’m gonna be _pissed_.”

“It’s not a joke,” Adora said. “I promise. Cross my heart and everything.”

Catra blinked. She wasn’t sure what answer she had been expecting, but it wasn’t that. She wasn’t really what else to say other than, “Okay.”

“Okay.” Adora thought for a second, then reached out a hand for Catra to shake. “Well, it was a pleasure doing business with you.”

“Please don’t say it like that,” Catra said, reaching out her own hand to clasp Adora’s. “No board room talk at dinner.”

Adora let out a small laugh, nodding. “Fair enough. Do you want me to send a car when you’re ready?”

“I can take the bus,” Catra said. “Your building isn’t far from me.”

Adora nodded. “Well, it’s up to you. I’m more than happy to send a private car if you don’t want to go to the trouble.”

A beat. Then: 

“This is really happening,” Catra said. “Like, you’re going to pay for my tuition this quarter.”

“Yeah,” Adora said, almost nonchalant. “I am. And next quarter, too, if you want.”

“One thing at a time.” Catra shook her head, and looked idly at her phone. The clock read _11:24pm_ , and Catra cursed under her breath. She didn’t realize just how much time had passed.

“Shit. I have to go,” She said, hearing a strange note of apology in her voice. “Sorry. I-I have to teach a class at 9am tomorrow.”

Adora cringed, sympathetic. “Ouch. Rough start to your week. But it’s no problem,” She said, giving Catra a reassuring smile. “Do you know when I’ll see you again?” 

The words came out almost shy, and more than a little hesitant. 

For some reason, Catra found it hopelessly endearing. “Soon,” She said. “Very soon.” A thought occurred to her, and she let out a chuckle. “Glimmer’s going to lose her shit.”

*** * ***

“She offered to do WHAT?” Glimmer yelled. Catra had to pull the phone away from her ear even as she grinned to herself. 

“I barely believed it,” Catra said, not bothering to hide her smugness. “But… yeah. She offered, I accepted, and I’m going to go over there today to confirm the arrangement.”

“Oh my God,” Glimmer said. Catra could picture her shaking her head on the other side of the phone. “You’re _not_ calling it the arrangement, are you? Jesus fucking— I can’t _believe_ this.”

“It’s not my fault!”

Glimmer sighed. “She’s so stupid. God. I should’ve known. I set her up on one blind date, and she decides to become a sugar daddy.”

“I mean,” Catra said, shrugging, “I’m definitely not complaining.”

“Oh my God, that means you guys are going to—” Glimmer cut off with a groan. “That’s gross.”

Catra remembered Adora’s strong jawline, the smooth cut of her jacket, and the muscles that bulged from under her shirt with a quiet, wistful sigh. “Again, I’m not complaining.”

“You’re disgusting,” Glimmer said sweetly.

“You know you only have yourself to blame, right?” Catra said. “I don’t know what you expected setting us up.” 

“Not this! Never this!”

Laughing, Catra looked at the clock. If she caught the next bus, she’d be able to make it to Adora’s office in the span of twenty minutes. Glimmer was in the middle of grousing to herself when Catra said, “Alright, I have to go. I’ll call you later, okay?”

She didn’t need to see Glimmer to know she was rolling her eyes. “Fine. Tell Adora I say hi.”

“I will,” Catra said. 

The call ended, and she slid her phone back in her pocket before turning to look in the mirror. She wasn’t sure what to wear to their meeting today — there weren’t many tips on the Internet for what to wear when signing a contract with a hot, single rich person — so she opted for something safe.

Today, _something safe_ meant freshly polished Doc Martens, cuffed skinny jeans that made her hips look _just_ right, and a leather jacket over a dark red crop top. Catra nodded to herself in the mirror, trying not to psych herself out.

She debated power posing for half a second before deciding that was a terrible idea, and grabbed her purse before she left. 

The bus stop wasn’t far from where she lived. Catra supposed that was one of the few perks of a campus apartment. When she got on, picking a window seat near the front, the call she’d made the night before floated through her mind. 

After their dinner, she had debated whether or not to accept the offer. She came to a decision within a few hours — it seemed to be the obvious choice, but she didn’t want to come off as desperate — and had called the next night after a few shots of liquid courage to help her. 

Adora had picked up, and Catra swore her knees went weak at the low, smooth sound of Adora’s late night voice. “Hey,” Catra had said. “Um. This is Catra.”

She’d been able to hear the surprise in Adora’s voice. “Hi,” She’d said, with a smile clear in her tone. “I wasn’t sure you’d call.”

“Neither was I,” Catra said, fully aware it wasn’t true. “Um. I’ve thought about your offer a lot, and…” She took a deep breath. “I accept.”

Adora had let out a sharp exhale, then smiled again. “That’s—that’s great to hear. Okay. When are you free to come by the office? I’ll send a—”

“I’m still taking the bus,” Catra interrupted. “But… I can come by tomorrow afternoon, if you want. My only class ends at 10am, so I can come by about an hour after that.”

“Then I’ll see you at 11,” Adora said smoothly.

Besides showering and shaving (she wasn’t sure what to expect, but wanted to be prepared), there had been one final thing Catra had done. 

She made a list.

Specifically, a list of things she was and was not willing to do as part of their deal. Admittedly, the _yes_ column was a fair amount longer than the _no_ column, but that was her business. She had always prided herself on her work ethic.

The bus ride was about as long as she expected, but the growing tightness in her chest, along with the butterflies beginning to flutter around in her stomach, was definitely something she hadn’t anticipated. 

Honestly, she hadn’t felt like this in years. Maybe ever, if she was being truthful with herself. And yet, somehow, it wasn’t unwelcome. 

The feeling only built as she went up the elevator to the topmost floor. According to the email Adora sent her after their phone call was over, her office was on the very last floor of the building. 

_You can’t miss it_ , the email said. _Just tell my receptionist you’re here and she’ll let you in._

Adora’s receptionist was a woman with giant, thick glasses that looked about as old as — if not older than — Catra’s great-grandparents. Her name tag read _Razz_. 

“Um, hi,” Catra said, walking over. “I’m here to see Adora.”

Razz’s eyes snapped up to look at her. “What’s your name, dearie?”

“Catra.” 

Razz nodded. “She told me about you.”

 _Hopefully not_ everything _about me_ , Catra thought, swallowing. “Oh, perfect. So, can I go—”

“You think she’s strong.”

Catra didn’t know how to respond to that, and thought for a moment that she was having a stroke. “Um.”

“She’s more fragile than people think, you know,” Razz continued. She hadn’t blinked this entire time. It was a little unnerving. “Be gentle with her.”

“Uh,” Catra said, blinking in confusion. “Okay.”

Razz nodded, apparently satisfied. She pressed a small button on the intercom. “There’s someone here for you, Mara.”

There was a weary sigh on the other side of the line. “That’s not my— okay. Send them in.”

Catra opened the door to Adora’s office almost tentatively. The clock told her she was five minutes early. 

“Come in,” called Adora. She hadn’t looked up yet, and was staring so hard at a piece of paper that Catra wondered if it was about to burst into flame. 

Catra stepped inside, closing the door behind her, and took a moment to look around. It was much emptier than she had expected, but she figured that it made sense given the recent move. 

A few stray items sat in boxes by the bottom of a large, mahogany bookcase lining the back wall. One of the only pieces of decoration that was unpacked was a plastic plant on the floor. The other was a _World’s Best Boss_ mug sitting on a coaster on Adora’s desk. 

Adora looked up after a moment, rubbing her forehead idly, and seemed to notice her for the first time. “Oh,” She said, smiling a little. “Hi. I-I didn’t realize what time it was.”

“It’s all good,” Catra said. “I, um, I like your plant.”

“It’s fake, but thank you. I have terrible luck with plants.” Adora nodded towards it. “It was a gift from my friend Perfuma. She runs a flower shop, and she told me this was one even _I_ wouldn’t be able to kill.”

Catra smiled, nodding along with her words. “Well, it’s—it’s great to see you again.”

“You too,” Adora said. A brief silence settled between them before Adora cleared her throat and gestured to the chair in front of her. “Please, have a seat. We can go over everything.”

Catra felt the butterflies in her stomach multiply suddenly as she sat. “So… what happens now?”

“I mean, I’m not going to make you sign a contract or anything.” Adora smiled, clearly trying to put Catra at ease. “But if you’d rather we do that, I’m happy to write one up.”

That sounded a little extreme. “I think I’m okay for now.”

“Okay,” Adora said. “Well, my plan was to pay for your tuition expenses, any new technology or hardware you need, and… I mean, anything else you want, really. I-I have a few ideas for pieces of clothing or jewelry I can buy you, but if that makes you uncomfortable I don’t have to.”

Catra blinked once, then twice. Her brain was suddenly filled with the idea of Adora buying her clothes she wanted to see her in, which quickly turned to _significantly_ more inappropriate scenes. 

She crossed her legs, hoping the movement wasn’t too visible. “That—that doesn’t make me uncomfortable at all. I would...” She swallowed. “I would really like that.”

Adora nodded. She paused for a moment, then scratched at the back of her head. “I know we— I don’t know why I’m blushing,” She said, letting out a nervous laugh. “I know we talked for a second about having a—a sexual component to the relationship, and… I wanted to know if you’d thought any more about that.”

“I, um. I have,” Catra nodded, feeling her face grow hot. “And I just wanted to say formally that—that I’m okay with it. I made a list of what I’m willing to do, too.”

“Oh,” Adora blinked. “That’s— that’s really helpful, actually. Thank you.”

“No problem,” Catra said awkwardly, sliding it across the table. 

“I’ll need your measurements, too,” Adora said idly, reaching for the piece of paper. “I have a tailor that I think you’ll really like.” 

“I can send them over later today,” Catra said, completely unsure of how to take them in the first place. That was a problem for later.

She watched as Adora began to read the list. After a moment, her eyebrows rose. “You have a lot of, um, very _detailed_ things on this list,” Adora said, face turning red. “You’re really okay with fucking in public?”

Catra had never heard Adora swear before, and for some reason the sound of it sent a shock of heat down her spine. 

“I am, yeah. I mean, assuming it’s relatively safe,” She said, hearing her voice crack a little. She cleared her throat. “There’s not a lot I won’t do.”

“I can see that,” Adora said. “Would you be okay with calling me sir?” 

Catra blinked, swallowing down a whine. “Y—yeah. Of course.”

“Good.” Her voice dropped a note as she spoke. Her pupils were larger and darker than they had been a moment before. 

_She’s into it,_ Catra realized. _Like,_ really _into it._ She tried to corral her thoughts, determined to regain some sort of control over the situation. “You like what you see, baby?”

Adora paused, looking up. “Did you just call me baby?” She asked.

“I mean, you’re spending thousands of dollars on my tuition. It feels like the least I can do.” Catra raised an eyebrow. “You didn’t answer my question.”

“I do,” Adora said. “We… have similar interests.”

Catra raised an eyebrow. “How so?” 

“You want to be told what to do. I want to tell you what to do. It works.” The words left no room for debate. 

Catra blinked, taking in a shaky breath. “It—it does.”

Adora leaned back in her chair for a moment. She dragged her eyes up and down Catra’s body, lingering first on her chest and then again on her face. Then, after a brief pause, she stood up and walked over before sitting against the edge of her desk. 

“Open your mouth.”

Catra’s mouth fell open instantly. 

Lifting her hand to Catra’s face, Adora slid her thumb in and watched Catra’s lips close around it. 

Catra held it in her mouth for a moment, debating for a moment what to do next. 

Then, she decided that if she was going to do this, she was going to do it right.

Slowly, making sure Adora was watching her, Catra began to suck. She moved her head back and forth, dragging her tongue over the finger in her mouth, and looked up at Adora to see her eyes widen in a mix of surprise and arousal. 

Once Adora’s mouth began to fall open, Catra leaned back, releasing her finger with a small _pop_. Adora let out a ragged gasp as she did, swallowing hard. “That wasn’t fair.”

“Why not?” Catra said, raising an eyebrow. “You were trying to make me squirm, weren’t you? I was just leveling the playing field.”

Adora opened her mouth to respond, but the crackle of her desk’s intercom stopped her. “Men from Boston are here, Mara,” Razz chirped. “They want to talk to you.”

Adora stifled a groan. “Fuck,” She muttered. “That’s my next meeting.” She turned to Catra with an apology on the tip of her tongue. “I had wanted—” She shook her head. “I’ll send over your first payment today. I’m sorry we didn’t have more time.”

“It’s okay,” Catra said, and meant it. She stood, and put a soothing hand on Adora’s arm. Hard, tense muscle sat just under the expensive fabric of her shirt. “You have a busy schedule. I get it.” 

She paused for a moment, letting her hand trail gently down Adora’s chest. “When do you... want me to come over?”

“When do I—” Adora’s eyes widened when she realized what Catra meant. “Oh.” She blinked. “Are you busy Friday night?”

Catra let her fingers brush the waistband of Adora’s pants, letting a smirk curl onto her lips. “Not at all.”

Adora bit her lip, letting out a quiet exhale of a laugh. Her eyes were fixed on Catra’s hand. “Then there’s your answer.”

Catra nodded, raising an eyebrow as she turned to leave, but Adora’s voice stopped her. “Expect a package this week,” She said. “There are a few things in it that I want you to wear when we see each other again.”

The authority in her voice made Catra’s knees weak even as she nodded. “That—that sounds fine,” She said, trying to maintain her composure. “I’ll keep an eye out.” She made it to the door, and her hand rested on the knob. 

She paused a moment before turning back around. “If we’re doing this, there’s something you should know,” Catra said.

Adora was rolling up her sleeve. Her eyes flicked up in curiosity. “And what’s that?”

Catra grinned. “I bite.”

*** * ***

Friday couldn’t come soon enough.

Catra had been looking for Adora’s package all week. The closer they came to Friday, the more worried she became that it wouldn’t be there in time. 

So when she came home from teaching her Friday afternoon class to see an unassuming brown box labeled _C. Horde_ sitting neatly on her doormat, she nearly cried out of relief. 

Her roommates were barely ever home, so she set the box directly on the kitchen counter before grabbing a pair of scissors to get it open. It was clearly hand-delivered, as well as hand-prepared, if the written label was anything to go by.

She opened it slowly, unsure of what to expect. Catra was greeted with the sight of a small white note sitting on top of a dark red dress. Both were folded neatly, of course, but lifting the dress up to the light took the air out of Catra’s lungs.

To say it was beautiful would have been an insult.

This dress was _magnificent_. The silk was a rippling, crimson red color that seemed to twist and shift in the sunlight streaming from her window. A simple look at the tag told her it was exactly her size.

She didn’t recognize the name of the designer, but a quick Google search gave her an idea of how expensive the dress had been. The note sat, unread, on the counter. Catra folded the dress and put it gently down in its box before reading it.

 _Catra,_ read the note.

 _Sorry about the wait_ — _my tailor didn’t get back to me as fast as I’d hoped. Check under the dress for a surprise._

Catra’s eyes flicked down to the bottom of the box. There was another parcel there, she realized, wrapped in a thin layer of tissue paper. She set the dress down gingerly, wiping the counter off with her spare hand in an effort to clean it.

She didn’t bother unwrapping it carefully. Still, the sight of what lay under the paper took her breath away. 

They were barely three days into their arrangement, and Adora was already spoiling her.

It was fitting, Catra thought, that she had put the set of lingerie under the dress. Holding it in her hands now, she marveled at the intricate black lacework, the straps, and the delicate, soft fabric. 

She held it to her chest for a moment, measuring it against her as best as she could, and knew in a second that it was going to look absolutely _perfect_.

Catra checked the clock. She was set to meet Adora at 7, which was roughly four hours away. 

Privately, she wasn’t sure she could wait that long. 

Adora had insisted on sending a car this time. Considering that meant Catra wouldn’t have to take the bus in a silk dress and lingerie, she figured she could let it slide.

Honestly, she was looking forward to it. The last time she had been in a fancy car like that was the night of her senior prom. _That_ night had ended with her drunk in her shower, but she had higher hopes for this one.

Catra did her best to pass the time quickly. 

She showered, shaved, did her makeup, and re-did her makeup, alternating between getting ready for the night and trying to distract herself with TV and podcasts and music and whatever else she could think of. She even resorted to prepping for her classes.

Putting on the lingerie for the first time, Catra took the time to marvel at just how _good_ she looked. It wasn’t a surprise — she always looked good — but something about the way the smooth, sleek lines accentuated her hips and her chest was completely new to her. 

Putting the dress on only cemented that feeling. Red had always been her color, after all.

She looked fucking _sexy_. 

She _felt_ sexy, too. 

It had been a while since she’d felt like that. Her ex was usually too busy with work (or, as Catra learned, fucking other girls) to pay her any mind, and her own studies meant she usually opted for whatever shirt was closest rather than putting an effort into fashion.

This was different. This was new. 

This, Catra thought, looking herself up and down with a slow grin, was something she could get used to.

When 6:30 finally came around, Catra could feel those familiar butterflies fluttering around her stomach again. Adora hadn’t sent shoes, so Catra had opted for a pair of black heels to match her dress. She had never enjoyed them, really, but she didn’t want to disappoint on their first night together.

Her windows were perpetually open, so when she heard the car come gently to a halt outside her door, she shot to her feet. 

Catra took a deep breath, reminding herself that she was sexy, she was smart as all hell, and she was going to make this night fucking _incredible_ , and walked to the door. 

The driver was waiting for her when she got to the car. “Miss Horde?” He asked, raising an eyebrow.

“That’s me,” Catra said with a smile. “Hi. What’s your name?”

The driver smiled at her. “My name is Brad, but Adora’s called me Swift Wind since college. She usually just calls me Swifty. It’s nice to meet you.”

“You too,” Catra said. She blinked. “What’s— can I ask about the story there?”

“I was on the track team,” He shrugged. “I thought it would be funny. All the guys in my frat started calling me that, and that’s what she’s always known me as.”

With a nod, he opened the door for her, offering a hand to help her inside. She set herself gently down on the patent leather seat before looking around.

As expected, the car was _ridiculously_ posh. There were two small bottles of Fiji water sitting in the cupholders, the interior lights had a dimmer switch, and Catra saw heating and cooling options for her seat. 

“Damn,” She muttered, impressed. Clearing her throat, she asked, “So… where are we meeting Mr. Grayskull?”

Swift Wind made eye contact with her through the rearview mirror as he began to pull out of the parking lot. “She’s still at her office, so I’ll be taking you there.”

“Cool,” Catra said, nodding to herself. After a beat, she said, “Do you, by any chance, know where exactly we’re going?”

Swift Wind smiled to himself. “Sorry, Miss Horde—”

“Please, just Catra is fine.”

“Catra, then,” He nodded. “She asked me to keep it a surprise.”

Catra figured that if Adora had told her driver at all, it couldn’t be too scary— a fancy dinner, or a trip to the opera, maybe.

The drive to Adora’s office was shorter than the bus ride, and when they pulled out in front of the doors Catra saw Adora standing there waiting for them in a clean, crisp black suit. Even from a distance, the quality was clear. It fit her _perfectly_. Catra knew in a second that it had to be custom-made.

With a wave, Adora began to jog lightly towards them. Swift Wind made a move to get out of the car, but Adora held up a hand and shook her head. 

She opened her door, sliding breathlessly into the seat next to Catra. “Good evening,” Adora said, giving her a smile. Catra could see the exact moment Adora realized exactly how good she looked, because her eyes widened and the smile dropped off her face as her mouth fell open. 

Adora took in the dress, sliding her eyes up and down Catra’s body, before finally looking back to her face. “Holy shit,” She whispered, almost in awe. “You look—” She cut off with a breathless laugh. “Fuck. You look _amazing_ , Catra. It fits you perfectly.”

“I have you to thank for that,” Catra said, relishing in the praise. “Red is my color.”

“That’s an understatement.” Adora cleared her throat, trying hard to mask the desire in her voice. “And… the other part of your package?”

Catra’s lips curled into a smug smile. “You told me to wear all of it, right?” Without taking her eyes from Adora’s face, she pulled one of the straps of the dress gently to the side to show the black lace underneath. “I listened.”

Adora swallowed hard, nodding a little to herself. “Good,” She said, her voice noticeably lower than it had been a few moments earlier. “I can’t wait to see the whole set.”

The words settled, electric, somewhere at the pit of Catra’s stomach, and she let out a shaky exhale. “Neither can I,” She said honestly. “I think you’re going to love it.”

Swift Wind cleared his throat from the front seat, which shook Catra back into reality. “Are you ready, Mr. Grayskull?”

Adora blinked, obviously trying to regain her composure. “Swifty, it’s been, like, ten years,” She said good-naturedly, clearing her throat. “You can call me Adora to my face.” She looked at Catra. “To answer your question, yes, I am.”

“Are you going to tell me where we’re going now?” Catra asked, raising her eyebrows expectantly. 

“You don’t want me to spoil the surprise, do you?”

“I’ve never liked surprises.”

Adora chuckled. “Alright. Well… you know how the company just started that new green energy initiative?”

That wasn’t what Catra was expecting to hear. She blinked. “Um. Yeah, I do.”

“Well, I was one of the main architects, and I’m... actually receiving an award for it tonight,” Adora said, almost shyly. “I was wondering if you would be my date.”

Catra didn’t know how Adora could manage to be both sexy and hopelessly endearing, but she managed it. “I would love that,” Catra said, smiling softly. “Normally, though, you ask people to be your date _before_ you take them to the event.”

“I’ll make a note of it next time,” Adora said, laughing quietly. “I thought you’d especially like it, though, because of the keynote speakers. I didn’t recognize them, but I looked them up and it turns out they’re pretty prominent in your field.”

“You did that for me?” Catra asked, unable to stop herself. “I thought I was just arm candy for you tonight.”

Adora frowned a little, as if it was obvious. “Of course you’re not. I-I mean, you _are_ , because—” She gestured to Catra’s outfit, “—but that’s— that’s not what I meant. There are gonna be a bunch of influential people there, so I thought it might be fun for you to talk to them.”

Catra blinked. “That’s…”

“If it’s too much too soon, we can always go somewhere else,” Adora said hastily, holding up a hand. “I don’t want to overwhelm you or anything, especially not—”

Catra put a hand on her wrist to stop her. “Easy, baby. It’s thoughtful and really, insanely sweet,” She said, giving Adora a smile. “Thank you.”

Adora cut off instantly, giving her a dopey smile. “You called me baby.”

“I did,” Catra nodded, smiling back. “You’re so weird.”

“I am not.”

“You are. You’re this big strong CEO—”

“Technically, I’m the CFO.”

Catra rolled her eyes. “Fine. You’re this big, strong, _CFO_ that spends their days in board meetings, and the second I call you a pet name you melt.”

“I— that’s— I don’t _melt_ ,” Adora sputtered, blushing in the dim light filtering through the windows. For a moment, Catra felt her heart tighten at the sight of her. 

“You look like you’re melting all over this seat.”

Adora grimaced. “Gross.”

“That’s not—” Catra smacked her arm lightly. “You _know_ that’s not what I meant.”

“Yeah, but you’re cute when you’re flustered,” Adora said, giving her a smile. 

After a moment, the car pulled to a stop in front of flashing cameras and bright lights. Adora leaned around her to look out her window. 

“We’re here,” She said, giving Catra a smile. “Let me know when you want to leave, and Swifty will be here before you can blink.”

“Is there anything I should know?” Catra said, eyeing the cameras warily. “For the red carpet, I mean.”

“Nah,” Adora shrugged. “You’re already the most beautiful person here. You don’t have anything to worry about.”

Catra rolled her eyes, unable to hide her blush. “You’re such a flirt.”

“For telling the truth?” Adora raised an eyebrow. “You wound me.” Catra moved to unbuckle her seatbelt and open her door, but Adora stopped her. “One second,” She said. “Wait here.” 

Confused, Catra watched as she undid her seatbelt, opened the car door, and jogged around to the other side of the car.

Catra only realized what was happening when Adora opened her door for her, offering a hand to help her out. She took it with a small blush dusting across her cheeks, and smoothed down her dress as well as she could when she stood up. “I didn’t know you were such a gentleman,” She said, raising an eyebrow.

Adora smiled. “I do my best.” She offered Catra her arm. “You coming, Miss Horde?”

The blinding, flashing lights and sudden noises distracted Catra from the double entendre. Instead of making a pointed joke about Adora’s word choice, she merely took her arm and said, “Lead the way, Mr. Grayskull.”

*** * ***

In Catra’s humble opinion, the ceremony was spectacular. 

The food wasn’t half bad, and there was an open bar that Catra kept an eye on, but that wasn’t it. Adora hadn’t been lying: there were no fewer than 20 of the most prominent members of her field there, and she seemed hell-bent on introducing Catra to all of them. 

The first group included a molecular physicist from Australia, the head of CalTech’s astrophysics department, and one of the leading experts on particle physics in the country. Catra froze when she saw them, her hand tightening against Adora’s arm. 

Adora frowned. “You okay?”

“Do you _see_ them?” Catra hissed in response.

“Yes,” Adora answered, frowning again. “Come on. Let’s go say hi.”

“Are you out of your mind?”

“That’s one of the reasons I brought you here tonight, remember?” Adora raised an eyebrow. “Come on. You can’t spend your life cooped up in your lab.”

Catra knew, on some level, that Adora was right. She still had to steel herself before she nodded. “Fine.”

They walked over to the group. Catra focused on her breathing, and prayed to whoever was listening that she wouldn’t make a fool of herself. 

“Mr. Grayskull,” said Australia, noticing them. He smiled. “It’s a pleasure to meet you properly. The teleconferences don’t do you justice, you know.”

“Thank you, Daniel,” Adora said, smiling in response. She offered a hand, and he took it. “Trust me, the pleasure’s all mine.”

He nodded to Catra. “Who’s this?” 

Adora turned to her with a smile. “This is Dr. Catra Horde.”

Catra rolled her eyes. “You know you’re only allowed to call me Dr. Horde _after_ I graduate, right?”

CalTech raised an eyebrow. “Are you a PhD candidate?”

“At UCLA,” Catra nodded. “I’m studying applied physics. I, um,” She said, looking over at Adora, who nodded encouragingly. “I also do a lot of work with our engineering department.”

“Well, if you want to talk about your work, you’re in the right place,” said Particle Physics. “And I’d love to hear your perspective on tonight’s energy plan. Young people see things differently than we do.”

That was all the permission Catra needed to launch into an explanation of her work and research. It was easier this time, she thought, which _definitely_ had nothing to do with Adora’s hand resting gently on her waist. The entire time Catra spoke, Adora watched her with a fond smile. 

They didn’t stay long, though. Adora introduced her to more people than she could remember, and as the night went on Catra found herself talking physics and mechanics with some of the finest minds in the country. 

As the star of the night, Adora had disappeared after a while, endlessly dragged away by colleagues, professors, and industry professionals to talk about the finer points of the green energy plan she’d helped build.

Catra was more than okay on her own, though. She’d always been absurdly good at networking, and had accumulated a small pile of business cards and people _more_ than willing to talk to her about job opportunities after she graduated. 

By the time Catra put eyes on Adora again, it was a few minutes before she was set to accept the award. She found her in the middle of a crowd of people, all of whom were — at minimum — forty years older than her. 

There was a man talking about the intricacies of a play he had seen recently, but he couldn’t seem to remember anything other than the title. Adora was hiding her boredom well, but her eyes were starting to glaze over. 

Years of bartending and waiting tables meant Catra was _more_ than aware of when people needed to be saved from a boring conversation.

“Excuse me,” Catra said, interrupting him with her best event-worker voice. “Mr. Grayskull?” She said, making eye contact with Adora. “I was told to come find you. You’re needed for the sound check.”

Adora’s eyes widened imperceptibly. “Right,” She said, nodding along. “Sorry, everyone. I’ll see you after the ceremony.”

Without bothering to listen to most of their goodbyes, Adora turned and left. She mouthed _thank-you_ to Catra as she sped over to her. 

As soon as she got close, Catra pulled them both into a hallway, conveniently out of sight of the group Adora had been trapped in. Laughing to herself as she did, she said, “You’re welcome.”

“You’re a godsend,” Adora said, giving her a grateful smile. “You know that?”

“Well, you looked like you were in need of a rescue,” Catra said. She rested a manicured hand on Adora’s chest, scratching gently with her nails. “That’s what I’m here for, right?”

Adora’s eyes dropped instantly to the hand on her, and she blinked slowly as she looked back up at Catra. “You’re here for more than that,” She said quietly, putting a hand on Catra’s waist. Her thumb began to stroke gently at Catra’s hip. “But I appreciate it.”

Catra leaned into the touch and smiled softly. “Anytime, babe.”

They stayed like that for a moment, both of them touching the other, until Adora let out a quiet laugh and dropped her gaze to the floor. “What?” Catra asked.

“Sorry,” Adora said, chuckling again. “Just… this whole situation is insane. You’re wearing a dress and lingerie I had made for you, we’re going to go home and do _God_ knows what after this event is over, and I haven’t even kissed you yet.”

Catra’s breath caught in her throat. Her eyes dropped to Adora’s lips. “Do you want to kiss me?”

Adora’s response was instant. “More than anything. Is that—is that okay?”

Catra nodded, smiling a little. “More than okay.” 

After a beat, Catra moved her hand up to rest against Adora’s cheek. She let her thumb stroke gently along the line of her cheekbone before she leaned up to press their lips together softly. 

Of all the first kisses Catra had experienced, this was her favorite. 

Adora’s lips were soft and rough at the same time, and tasted faintly of mint. Strong hands moved to her waist, pressing her gently against the wall at her back, and Adora let out a soft noise against her mouth as Catra flicked her tongue out against Adora’s parted lips. 

Catra pressed another kiss to Adora’s lips and let herself linger a moment longer before she pulled back, biting her lip to hide a smile. 

Adora was slow to open her eyes. “That was…”

“Really, really good,” Catra nodded. After a moment, they both let out a quiet, shy laugh.

“You wanna… do it again?”

Catra laughed again, pressing a gentle peck to Adora’s lips. “Don’t you have an award to accept first?”

Sure enough, the _actual_ event staff came to find Adora less than a second later, looking both harried and relieved at the same time. “Mr. Grayskull,” The woman said, clearing her throat as she took in the position the two of them were in. “Oh. Um. Sorry to interrupt,” She said, blushing. “We’ve been looking for you all over.”

Adora let out a quiet sigh, turning to Catra for a moment. “You have an uncanny sense of timing, you know.”

“Go accept your award,” Catra said, giving Adora a smile and a gentle push. “I’ll be here when you get back.”

“You promise?” Adora asked, raising an eyebrow. 

Catra rolled her eyes, nodding. “Of course I promise. I’ll be watching, okay?”

Adora left shortly after, which gave Catra a moment to collect herself. 

The hallway they had been in was, as it turned out, the hallway to the bathrooms. Catra found them easily enough, and spent a few minutes touching up her makeup before making her way out to the main floor of the auditorium again. 

There was a stage set up in the center with tables and platters of hors d'oeuvres in front of it. Catra was more interested in the open bar. 

She ordered her go-to drink — which was currently a double shot of vodka, the same thing she’d had with Adora their first night together — and took a sip as she waited for the ceremony to begin.

Luckily, she didn’t have to wait long. 

Catra hadn’t been to many events like this in her life, but they didn’t seem too painful. The lights and effects were nice, the award was beautiful, and Adora’s speech was perfect. It was tight, it was funny, and, most importantly, it was concise.

Catra had a strangely warm glow of pride in her chest as she waited for Adora to come back after it.

She wandered aimlessly around the room for a few minutes, holding her mostly-full drink and taking a sip whenever she felt the urge, until she ended up at the hallway to the bathrooms again. 

She shouldn’t have been surprised to see Adora leaning there waiting for her. 

“There you are,” Adora said, grinning. “Hi.”

“Hi,” Catra said, walking over to her. She put a hand on Adora’s arm. “Your speech was good.”

“You liked it?”

“Of course. Very professional, but not in, like, a douchey way.” Catra nodded in approval. “Textbook, really.”

Adora’s smile turned soft as she rested a hand on the side Catra’s face. “I was thinking about you the entire time.”

Catra smiled, leaning into it. “What were you thinking about?”

“Doing this,” Adora said, turning them slowly around before pulling her in for another kiss. It was slow and sweet, and the feeling made Catra melt into Adora even more. Her hand squeezed lightly at Adora’s forearm, feeling the strength and the rigidity of the muscles there.

Catra’s other hand went to Adora’s back, digging gently into the hard planes of muscle, as she leaned back for a moment. 

Adora’s eyes opened slowly, and stayed half-lidded. “Why’d you stop?” She mumbled, staring at Catra’s lips. “Come back.”

Being soft and cute was one thing, and it was a fine thing. Catra enjoyed it thoroughly. 

But, well… she was in a red dress, black lingerie, and heels. She wasn’t there to be soft. 

Catra bit her lip, raising an eyebrow. “Make me.”

Adora’s eyes darkened at the words, and her jaw ticked just a little as she moved her hand to wrap gently around Catra’s throat. “That’s how you want to do this?”

All Catra could focus on was the heat pooling in her stomach and how fucking _big_ Adora’s hands were. She swallowed, feeling her throat bob against the palm putting gentle pressure against her, and nodded. “Yes.”

“Yes, what?” Adora asked, eyes dark and fiery.

This was what they had both been waiting for. Catra swallowed again, meeting her gaze without fear or hesitation. “Yes, sir.”

Adora didn’t wait a second longer. This time, their kiss was anything _but_ soft and gentle. It was rough, messy, and more than a little desperate. The hand on Catra’s throat pressed against her steadily. 

It wasn’t enough to actually deprive her of any air — she was clear about that in the list she had given Adora earlier — but the steady pressure served as a reminder of who was in charge of the situation.

Adora’s knee wedged in between Catra’s legs, and at the first touch of hard muscle between her legs Catra let out a strangled noise against Adora’s mouth. She broke the kiss, leaning her head back against the wall behind her. 

“Fuck,” She breathed. “Not fair.”

“What’s not fair, princess?” Adora raised an eyebrow, endlessly smug. “You said public was okay, remember? I’m just playing by your rules.”

Catra had to fight to keep from letting out a whine. “Please.”

“Please what, baby?” Adora asked, pressing her leg against Catra again. This time, Catra couldn’t hold back the whimper that escaped her. “Use your words.”

“I need you,” Catra whined, canting her hips up against Adora’s leg. “Please.”

Adora’s jaw ticked as she ran her free hand up the outside of Catra’s thigh. “Here?” She asked. Her fingers brushed at the soft skin of her inner thigh. 

Catra closed her eyes, nodding as best as she could against Adora’s hand. “Yes. Fuck.”

Adora moved her leg out of the way as her fingers brushed past the hem of Catra’s dress, hesitating only a moment before pressing gently against the fabric at her entrance. She let out a ragged gasp. “Fuck,” Adora said, looking at her again. “You’re—you’re wet.”

“No shit,” Catra said, eyes still closed. “Please. I need you.”

“You have me.” Adora ran her fingers lightly over the strip of fabric between Catra’s legs, hearing her let out a sharp exhale. She added a bit of pressure as her fingers ran along Catra’s clit, and even though it was covered by a layer of lace it was enough to earn a strangled whine from her. 

“Fuck,” Catra whimpered. “More.”

The sound of a muffled conversation came suddenly from just outside the hallway, and Adora felt a spike of panic in her chest at the thought of being discovered like this. 

Her head whipped over to Catra to see the same sense of fear reflected on her face. 

Before she could react, though, Catra grabbed her hand and pulled her down the hallway, tugging them both into what happened to be an empty bathroom. 

It was a single-occupancy room, which meant they wouldn’t be walked in on. Adora didn’t need to think twice about locking the door. It slid into place with a gentle _click_. 

Adora paused for a moment, breathing heavy, before taking her suit jacket off. 

She undid her cufflinks, placing them gently on the counter on top of her jacket, and rolled up her sleeves. Her tie was still tight against her neck, so she brought a hand up to loosen it gently.

She turned to see Catra staring at her with a blush and a needy, half-desperate look still on her face. 

“What?” Adora asked, cocking her head to the side. 

Without saying a word, Catra closed the distance between them, pulling Adora in for a hot, passionate kiss. 

Adora let herself relish in the glow of pride for a moment before she slid her hands under Catra’s thighs, picked her up effortlessly, and set her down on the counter. The kiss, as well as the casual display of strength, had Catra gasping for air when they broke apart. “What are you—”

“We’re not gonna get interrupted this time,” Adora said, cutting her off. “I want to finish what we started.” She searched Catra’s face, looking for any sign of unease or wariness, and found none.

Instead, Catra nodded profusely. “God,” She said, pulling Adora in for another kiss. “Yes. Please.” Adora didn’t wait another second to hike the fabric of Catra’s dress up around her waist, letting out a low gasp as she saw the black lace covering her pussy for the first time.

She brushed a strand of hair out of Catra’s face, letting her hand rest against her cheek gently. “God, you look fucking _amazing_ like this.”

“All for you,” Catra said, eyes sliding closed. 

“Do you want my fingers or my mouth first?”

Catra’s eyes shot open at the question, blinking for a second as she thought it over. “Fingers,” She said, trying and failing to hide a blush. “P-Please.”

“Good girl.” Adora moved Catra’s legs apart, slotting herself in between them, and pulled her in for another kiss. It was sloppier than the others had been, all heat and messy lips, and she felt Catra slide her hands into her hair with a quiet groan. 

Adora took the opportunity to run her fingers gently over Catra’s panties, rubbing her through them for a moment before pulling them slowly down her legs. 

She gathered some of the wetness pooling at Catra’s entrance and spread it over her clit. Then, Adora started to rub slow, tight circles around and over it, feeling the bud stiffen under her.

Catra broke their kiss with a low gasp. Her forehead rested against Adora’s, and her hands tightened in her hair. “Fuck. Fuck,” She whined, hips jerking up once more against Adora’s fingers. 

“Does it feel good?” Adora asked, hearing how low her voice came out. 

Catra nodded, biting her lip. “I want you inside. Please, sir.”

Adora took her fingers away for a moment, nodding. Catra’s eyes shot open at the lack of stimulation, about to whine, when she saw Adora slide them into her mouth and suck for a moment. 

She closed her eyes at the taste of Catra’s slick, making a noise of satisfaction, and pulled them out again with a quiet _pop_. Catra watched with an open-mouthed stare as a lopsided smile curled on Adora’s lips. 

“You taste good,” She said, grinning. “One or two fingers?”

Catra’s eyes dipped down to Adora’s now-wet fingers, and remembered just how big they were. “One to start with,” She said, swallowing.

Adora nodded, and pulled her in for another kiss. Catra tasted something salty on her tongue and realized, with a low moan, that it was herself. A moment later, she felt Adora’s finger pressing gently at her entrance before sliding in slowly.

It wasn’t the largest thing Catra had ever taken, but she could still feel the stretch burn just a little in the most delicious way possible. The feeling of having something inside again made her mouth fall open instantly. Adora’s finger slid in fully, letting her accommodate for a moment.

Adora opened her eyes to see Catra’s face taut in pleasure, clearly focusing on the sensation of Adora’s fingers in her for the first time. She slid her finger out before pushing it back in, watching intently as Catra let out a small pant at the feeling. 

“More,” She gasped. “Fuck. More.”

Adora repeated the motion, curling her finger as she did. Catra let out a shaky, ragged breath, digging her hands into the fabric of Adora’s shirt. She pulled her impossibly closer, wrapping her arms around Adora’s broad back.

Catra felt hot breath and warm lips at her neck, and let her head fall back against the wall to give Adora better access. A dull, warm kind of pain sparked there a moment later as Adora began to suck at the side of her neck, moving quickly into pleasure as she went on. 

All Catra could think of was the mark it would leave, and she had to bite her lip to keep from moaning.

Adora was bracing herself against the wall with one hand, and brought her thumb up to rub at Catra’s clit in time with her thrusts, eliciting a high, keening whimper from her. “Like that,” Catra nodded. Her voice came out breathy and raspy, low enough to make Adora’s hand stutter for just a moment. “Add another finger.”

Adora did. She pulled her finger out, then dipped her middle finger gently inside Catra to coat it in slick before pushing both fingers slowly into her. 

Catra’s head tipped back as Adora’s fingers slid into her, feeling the delicious, exhilarating burn of the stretch, as she let out a gasp. Her hands tightened against the hard muscle of Adora’s shoulders, feeling them shift as her arm moved. 

Adora let out a ragged breath. “God. You look so good like this,” She said, eyes dragging over Catra’s body.

“Like— _fuck_ ,” Catra gasped, closing her eyes as Adora pumped her hand in again. “Like what?”

“Desperate,” Adora answered, running her thumb lightly over Catra’s clit as she did. Catra’s hips jerked up to meet her. “See? You’re fucking _begging_ for it.”

Catra couldn’t hold back the whimper the words drew from her. In all of her wildest dreams, she had never imagined she would be fucked like this. She’d had to top in a few of her previous relationships, and had done it with a smile on her face, but this?

This was _completely_ different. For one, she had only ever fantasized about fucking in public, and tonight had, so far, surpassed all of her expectations. 

It was another point on a long, long list of things she could get used to.

Catra opened her eyes for a moment, and something behind Adora caught her attention. 

The venue was such a well-funded auditorium, and the bathrooms reflected that. They were well-lit, with large sinks and sweet-smelling soap, but that wasn’t what Catra was focused on. 

There was a large, ornate mirror that sat against the back wall. Catra’s eyes widened when she realized how much she could see.

Catra saw the muscles in Adora’s back shifting as her hands worked. She saw her own legs, open and just barely starting to tremble. She saw her face twisted in pleasure, completely focused on the sensation of Adora’s hands.

She couldn’t take her eyes away. 

Adora seemed to notice that her attention was focused on something else, and turned a little to see what it was. When she saw Catra’s reflection staring back at her, she let out a low chuckle, punctuating it with a particularly deep thrust just to make her gasp.

“You like watching yourself get fucked?” Adora asked, low and just starting to pant from the exertion. “Catra let out a whine, nodding as best as she could. “Good. Keep your eyes there, princess.”

Between Adora’s fingers, watching herself in the mirror, and the thrill of being fucked like this in a public place, Catra knew she wasn’t going to last much longer. She could feel her orgasm starting to build even now. 

“I—I’m close,” She panted, gasping as Adora’s thumb found her clit again. “Fuck. Please, sir, I—”

Adora interrupted her with another fast, deep thrust. “Say my name.”

“Adora,” Catra gasped, closing her eyes. She was so close now. She could feel herself hurtling toward the edge. “Adora, please. Fuck. I-I’m gonna—”

“You wanna cum for me?” Adora said, grunting as she thrusted her fingers in again. “Open your eyes. I want you to see what I see.”

Catra did. She took in the sight of Adora, red-faced and panting. Then, eyes flicking to the mirror, she saw the pleasure written all over her body, from her shaking legs to the hands fisted in Adora’s shirt. 

Adora nodded, grunting with each thrust of her hand. “Good girl.”

That was all the permission she needed. Catra felt all the muscles in her body tighten, hanging in space for a split second, before her orgasm hit her full force.

She gasped, vaguely aware of the noises she was making, as she felt herself convulse around Adora’s fingers. Catra pulled Adora tight to her as her chest heaved, feeling her legs shaking and her hips jerking up at random. Adora guided her through it all with gentle thrusts and slow circles around her clit. 

“Easy, baby,” Adora said, keeping her fingers inside. With her free hand, she pulled Catra close to her, giving her an anchor. “I’m here.”

Catra nodded, tucking her face into Adora’s shoulder. “Promise?”

Adora let out a breathy laugh, nodding against her. “I promise.”

Catra closed her eyes, still feeling the fog of her orgasm over her as she pulled back a little. Adora’s fingers were still inside her, and the movement jostled them a little. Catra realized just how sensitive she was with a wince, and Adora’s smile turned instantly to an expression of concern. “What’s wrong?”

“I’m okay,” Catra said, putting a hand gently on Adora’s. “Just… sensitive.”

“Do you want me to pull out?”

Catra shook her head. “I like the feeling of you inside me.”

Adora smiled. “Okay.” Catra’s hair was a mess, though her makeup was mostly intact, and Adora brushed a strand of it out of her face, tucking it behind her ear. “You did so, so well for me. You were perfect, Catra.”

The praise made her blush. “You think so?” Catra said, giving her a shy smile.

Adora nodded. “I do.” She leaned forward to press a gentle, chaste kiss to Catra’s lips, resting their foreheads together. “You were perfect,” She repeated. “Let’s get you cleaned up.”

Catra nodded. “Pull out slowly, okay? I-I’m still—” Adora adjusted her hand a little, and the spark of movement made Catra let out a small hiss of air. “Sensitive,” She finished. 

“Sorry,” Adora murmured. She pressed a kiss to Catra’s forehead.

As slowly and gently as she could, she slid her fingers out. Catra could see how wet they were — considering they had been covered in her slick for the last several minutes, she figured it was to be expected — and watched Adora try and find a place to wipe them off. 

An idea pinged in her mind. She reached for Adora’s wrist, guiding it gently to her face. Adora frowned. “What are you—”

Catra made eye contact with her as she slid the two slick-covered fingers into her mouth, groaning at the taste of herself on Adora’s skin. Adora’s fingers were long and thick, which gave her another idea. 

Catra leaned forward a little, gagging on them as they hit the back of her throat, and swirled her tongue around and between them to clean them properly.

Adora watched it all with her lips parted and her eyes wide and dark. When Catra gagged, she let out a quiet, sharp gasp. “You— fuck,” Adora said, letting out a nervous laugh. “Fuck.”

Catra released her fingers, smiling as Adora wiped them off on her cheek. “You like watching me, don’t you?”

“So did you, if I remember right,” Adora said, nodding towards the mirror. “But… yeah. Can you blame me?” She asked, raising her eyebrows. “You’re the most beautiful woman I’ve ever met, and the _sounds_ you make—” She shook her head, letting out another nervous laugh. “God.”

Catra knew she’d had this person’s fingers inside her moments before, but the compliment still made her blush. “Do you have a crush on me or something?”

“If I say yes, will you let me eat you out when we get home?” Adora returned. 

Catra blinked, suddenly unable to think of anything other than Adora’s head between her legs. “Absolutely.”

“Then yes.” Adora tightened her tie, redid her sleeves and cufflinks, and put her suit jacket back on. “Speaking of home, we can leave whenever you want. I want to take care of you as best as I can.”

Catra knew she looked a mess, and figured it couldn’t hurt to leave a little earlier than she was planning. “That… might be best, yeah,” She said, picking herself up off the counter. Adora was at her side in an instant, offering strong, sure hands to help her down. 

When she straightened, Catra felt exactly how much wetness was still between her legs with a gasp. “Yeah, I’m gonna need a minute.”

Adora nodded in understanding. “I’ll give you a second alone, then. While you’re doing that, I’ll tell my driver to bring the car around.” She lingered at the door for a second, then turned back to Catra. “Can I kiss you again?”

“You just made me cum so hard I left a puddle on the counter, and you’re asking if you can kiss me again?”

“Consent is very important,” Adora said, raising an eyebrow. “Can I?”

Catra rolled her eyes. “Of course you can. Come here.”

It was a brief kiss, but there was a tenderness to it that Catra didn’t expect. It was almost as dizzying as the more passionate ones, but in a different way. Adora had stars in her eyes when they pulled away, so she figured she wasn’t the only one that thought so.

Adora tried and failed to hide a smile. “I’ll be outside,” She said, pressing a lingering kiss to Catra’s forehead. “Let me know if you need anything.”

“I will,” Catra said, and meant it. “I’ll see you in a few.”

The door closed behind Adora with a soft _click_ , leaving her alone. A small pang of disappointment struck her suddenly. Catra told herself it was just the post-sex haze that caused it. 

Catching feelings on the second date would just be embarrassing, after all.

Right?

*** * ***

Adora made her excuses easily enough. She put on a dazzling, handsome smile, telling all of her peers that she was both grateful for the recognition and _very_ aware of how early her morning was the next day. 

She made up something about a business meeting with Japan, and she and Catra were out the door within ten minutes.

Catra had been able to salvage most of her hair, but her makeup and her shaky legs had been harder to fix. 

The worst — best? — part of it was that she knew the night wasn’t over. There was no way they were just going to go home and have a normal, slow night after what had just happened.

And Catra was _more_ than okay with that.

As soon as she stepped into the car again, the same fluttery, nervous feeling of anticipation settled firmly in her stomach. Adora gave her a concerned look as she sat down next to her. “Hey. You okay? You look a little…” She trailed off, shaking her head.

“I’m okay,” Catra said. “Just… nervous.” She fiddled with the hem of her dress, running the smooth fabric between her fingers to ground her. 

“Nervous?” Adora cocked her head to the side. “Why? We already left, you know. There’s not much else to be nervous about at the apartment—” Her eyes widened as Catra’s implication sunk in. “Oh.”

“Yeah.”

Adora looked through the partition at Swift Wind for a moment, then back to Catra. “If you’d rather not come home with me, that’s okay. We’ll drop you off at your apartment.” She offered a small, reassuring smile. “No hard feelings. I promise.”

The option gave her a clear way out, and she trusted Adora not to hold it against her. Catra considered it for a moment.

Then again, she had made up her mind the second she got in the car. “No. I want to go home with you,” Catra said, running her eyes up and down Adora’s body. “I shaved for this, you know. I’m not letting all that time go to waste.”

Adora stifled a laugh, nodding. “Oh, well, absolutely. I wouldn’t want your efforts to go unrecognized.” 

She rolled down the partition between them and Swift Wind to ask, “Can you take us home, Swifty?”

He nodded, giving them a thumbs-up in the mirror, and began to pull the car into the street. 

Adora rolled the partition up as music began to play quietly in the back of the car. “How do you feel?” She asked, eyes lingering on Catra’s lower stomach. “I mean, after…” She cleared her throat. “Y’know. What happened.”

Catra turned to her to see a blush on her face. “So you can fuck me in a bathroom, but you’re too embarrassed to talk about it?” She asked, raising an eyebrow.

“You didn’t answer my question,” Adora said, blushing furiously. “Because if you’re sore or—or tired, we can watch a movie and— I dunno, order a pizza.” Her hands were twisting together in front of her.

“Oh, no.” Slowly, Catra reached out for Adora’s hands, moved them away from her, and positioned herself in Adora’s lap. “No,” She said, putting a purr into her voice that made Adora’s eyes widen. “I’m more than okay to keep going.”

Adora swallowed hard before letting her hands rest on Catra’s waist. God, her hands were so fucking _big._ Sitting on Catra’s body, they seemed to dwarf her waist completely. “Are you?” She asked, voice tight.

Catra nodded. She could see the power her voice and her words had over Adora, and it wasn’t something she wanted to give up easily. 

“This lingerie looks expensive,” She said, trailing a hand down Adora’s chest. With her other hand, she pulled one of the straps off her dress to show just the barest hint of black lace. 

“How will I _ever_ pay you back?” 

The words were heavy with fake innocence and an implication clear as day. Adora swallowed hard. The light of the car was low, but Catra still saw her eyes visibly darken. “I’m sure you’ll think of something,” Adora said, voice raspier and lower than it had been moments prior. 

Catra’s eyes flicked down to her lips. “Oh, I’m counting on it.” She couldn’t resist the temptation to kiss her any longer, but that didn’t mean she couldn’t have fun with it. 

Adora was an impatient person. Catra had gathered that easily enough. So when she leaned in to kiss her again, she made sure to do it slow enough to drive her crazy. 

When she got to Adora’s lips, which were already slightly parted in anticipation, she paused. A smirk curled over her face as she leaned closer, flicked her tongue out to lick teasingly at Adora’s lips. 

Adora’s reaction was instant. One of the hands on her waist moved up to cup her jaw, pulling her in for a searing hot kiss. One turned into two, which turned into ten before Catra knew what was happening. 

When Adora broke the kiss to start mouthing at her neck, Catra couldn’t stop herself from rolling her hips down into her lap with a quiet gasp. Adora’s hands settled on her hips again, and tightened there.

“You like marking me up, don’t you?” She asked, running a hand through Adora’s short hair and tugging lightly at it.

Adora made a soft noise as she nodded against her, finding a new spot on her neck to mark. After a few seconds of sucking hard, she ran her tongue over it to soothe it. “I do,” She said, looking back up at Catra. “Of course I do.”

“Why?”

“Because I want people to know you’re mine,” Adora said, raising an eyebrow. She flipped them over in a smooth motion, pinning Catra to the seat behind her. “Want me to prove it?”

The words, coupled with the change in position, made Catra gasp again. “How?”

Adora answered her by getting on her knees. It was awkward, given how little room there was in the car to work with, but she managed it. “Put your leg on my shoulder.”

Immediately, Catra did. She sent a quick _thank-you_ to whatever was listening that the partition was up for this, and then another for the tinted windows around them. She hiked the fabric of her dress up to give Adora better access to her pussy. “You’re really gonna do this here?” She asked. 

“I want to,” Adora nodded, pressing a kiss to Catra’s thigh. “Can I?”

Catra nodded furiously. “Fuck. Please.”

Adora didn’t need anything more than that. She leaned forward, kissing gently at the soft skin of Catra’s inner thighs, until she reached her cunt. She paused for a second, taking in the sight of it. 

Catra hadn’t put her underwear back on, it seemed. She wasn’t about to complain. 

She pressed a feather-light kiss to Catra’s clit, groaning in pleasure at the taste of her. Catra was salty, and sharp in a way that made Adora’s mouth water.

She hummed for a moment, kissing at her thighs before licking a long, slow stripe up her cunt. Catra let out a gasp at the feeling. Adora took that as a sign to do it again, but faster.

It was the right thing to do, if the whine Catra let out was any indication. Adora moved up, feeling the stiff bud of Catra’s clit with her tongue, and sucked gently on it. 

Catra’s hand flew to her head and fisted hard in her hair, tugging Adora impossibly closer. The feeling of pain, sharp and delicious, made her groan against her.

The vibrations from it, coupled with the feeling of Adora sucking her clit, had Catra’s back arching off of the seat. 

“Fuck,” She whined, spreading her legs even further. “Fuck. Just like that.”

Adora nodded, licking her clit for a moment just to make her legs shake. She was breathing through her nose, determined to do this for as long as she needed to, and all she could smell was the heady, sharp scent of Catra’s arousal. 

She closed her eyes, savoring the taste of Catra’s slick, and fell quickly into a solid, consistent rhythm. Adora realized quickly that Catra preferred a mix of suction and quick, small flicks to her clit rather than the long, slow licks Adora was used to, but she adapted quickly. 

Something began to dig into her back. Adora straightened a little, confused at the feeling. 

At the sudden lack of stimulation, Catra’s eyes opened with a whine. 

Her leg flexed a little, and the sensation at Adora’s back changed for a moment. She turned to see one of Catra’s stilettos digging into her back and couldn’t help but let out a sharp exhale. 

“What is it?” Catra asked, half-raspy and half-needy. “Why—why’d you—”

“Nothing you should be concerned with, sweetheart,” Adora said, getting back into position. 

She had always enjoyed a little pain, after all. 

Closing her eyes, Adora sucked Catra’s clit into her mouth again. Catra’s hands tightened in her hair as her head fell back against the seat. Adora’s pace was relentless, and the combined feeling of suction and her tongue was almost too much to bear. 

“God, you’re so _fucking_ good at this,” Catra gasped, tightening the hand in Adora’s hair. “Fuck.”

Adora couldn’t respond, but she felt her laugh a little against her. Her eyes were closed, Catra realized. She looked focused. More than that, she looked like she was _enjoying_ it. 

In the past, whenever she’d gotten head it had been lackluster at best and straight-up _bad_ at worst.

Now, she could feel a new wave of pleasure coursing through her with every touch of Adora’s tongue. 

Catra wasn’t sure how much time had passed since Adora had started, but at some point she was able to feel her orgasm begin to build. 

Her mouth fell open as her fingers tightened in Adora’s hair. Her other hand clenched, her nails digging tight half-moons into her palms. The sudden pain threw her off, jolting her for a moment, and she made a small noise of discomfort.

Adora opened her eyes, concerned, and saw Catra’s hand lying open and red. She slid her own hand into it, lacing their fingers together, and continued her ministrations.

Catra was so close. She was so, _so_ close now, and she could feel that this orgasm would be a big one—

And then, as if the universe itself was laughing in her face, the car pulled to a halt. 

Catra’s eyes opened, and every part of her felt consumed by panic in the split second between the car parking and Swift Wind opening his door. 

“A—Adora,” She said, tugging at her hair. Adora didn’t seem to have noticed that they were no longer moving. “Adora, s—stop. We— we’re at your apartment.”

Adora’s eyes flew open at the words. She pulled away quickly as both of them scrambled to assume a normal position on the seats before Swift Wind found them in the middle of— well, of what they were doing. 

There wouldn’t be any consequences, but Catra had a feeling neither of them would be able to look him in the eye again if it happened.

They only half-managed to look normal when the door opened. 

Catra’s head was fuzzy, and the part of her not fueled by panic was still desperate for an orgasm, but she was still alert enough to be grateful for the darkness outside them.

Adora exited, then helped Catra make her way out since her legs weren’t quite functional enough to do it on her own. Adora slid a strong, supportive hand behind her waist to help.

“Thanks, Swifty,” Adora said, clearing her throat. “That’s— that’ll be all. Um. Have a good weekend.” She gave him an awkward wave.

Swift Wind looked between them for a moment as if debating whether or not to say something. After a beat, he settled on, “Sounds good, Mr. Grayskull. I’ll see you Monday.”

The two of them watched the car leave before they turned to each other with a matching sense of relief.

“Close one,” Adora said, giving her a cheeky grin.

Catra remembered just how close she’d been to an orgasm and sighed. “Fucking understatement.” She frowned suddenly. There was something shimmering on Adora’s face, glinting in the streetlight above them.

Adora blinked. “What?”

“You have something on your—” With a visible jolt, Catra realized _exactly_ what Adora had on her face. “Oh my God. My—” She covered her mouth, trying and failing to stifle a laugh. “Babe, my cum is _all_ over your face.”

“You—” Adora’s eyes widened. “Oh, fuck. It totally is.”

“That’s why Swift Wind—”

Adora held up a finger. “Don’t you dare,” She said, unable to keep the humor out of her voice. “Holy shit. That’s…” She shook her head, letting out a laugh. “Super, super embarrassing.”

“I can think of a few other things it is,” Catra said, biting her lip with a grin. “C’mere.” Without hesitating, Adora did. 

Catra kissed her soundly. Opening her mouth, she ran her tongue over Adora’s lips. She tasted herself on Adora’s tongue, making a soft noise at the sudden salty, familiar flavor, and pulled away a moment later with a satisfied look on her face.

Adora blinked, giving her a dreamy smile. “I liked that.”

“What? Me kissing you?”

“Yeah,” Adora said, nodding. “I like it every time.”

It was an oddly touching thing to say in the moment, and Catra was grateful again that the darkness hid her blush. “I do too,” She said, and meant it. “But I’m gonna be honest with you, I was _super_ close to cumming, and I’m pretty sure if I don’t have an orgasm soon I’ll die.”

“Well,” Adora said, shaking her head. “We wouldn’t want that.” She wiped her face off with one hand and laced their fingers together with the other, leading Catra towards the door. 

It was a chic, modern-looking apartment lobby. There was a coffee shop in the corner, too. The brief look at the prices told Catra _exactly_ the kind of clientele they catered to. Personally, she shuddered at the thought of spending that much money on a latte, but she figured people like Adora had more money than they knew what to do with.

Adora led them past the elevators, which surprised her. Catra frowned. “Uh, I think you missed—”

“—The elevators?” Adora shook her head. “I have a private one.”

Catra blinked. “You have a private elevator.”

“Yes.”

“Are you a fucking supervillain?”

“No,” Adora chuckled. “Not yet, anyway. I just own the penthouse.” She jerked her head towards a door in the corner. “Come on. I’ll show you.”

The door was locked with a small, black RFID sensor. Adora held up a matching sensor on a ring of keys until they heard a small _beep_. The door slidopen for them to reveal a small elevator. 

There was only one button, which Catra found more entertaining than she should have. She had to stifle a smile as Adora pressed it. 

“What is it?” Adora asked, smiling in response.

“Nothing.”

A pause. “It’s the button, isn’t it?”

“I just—” Catra cut off with a laugh. “I’m sorry. I don’t know why it’s so funny.”

“No, I’m with you,” Adora nodded. “It doesn’t make any logical sense. Where the fuck am I gonna go with _one_ button?” Catra laughed again in the dim, soft light of the elevator, and Adora swore she was the most beautiful person she’d ever seen. 

Adora watched her with a soft smile on her face, but the elevator reached her penthouse before Catra noticed.

They stepped out into Adora’s foyer, and Catra felt her eyes nearly bug out of her head. She turned to Adora. “You can’t be serious.”

Adora gave her a small, almost chagrined nod. “I am.”

“You _live_ here?” Catra asked, staring at the floor-length windows, the state-of-the-art kitchen, and the sparkling lights of the city that stretched for miles out around them. “You— this is like a fucking hotel room.”

“Yeah,” Adora said, nodding. “It’s really, really nice. Like, _I_ was surprised to see it.” She scratched the back of her head. “But… yeah.”

Catra noticed something. “It’s so empty,” She said, frowning. It was, after all. The walls were bare, the kitchen seemed empty, and the only pieces of furniture she saw were a TV, a couch, and a dining table. She made a mental note to get Adora a plant.

“Most of my stuff hasn’t gotten here yet,” Adora said, shrugging. “But, honestly, I left most of it back in Boston. I’ve always been a pretty light traveler.” She paused for a moment, running her eyes up and down Catra’s body. “But there’s one thing I made sure to pack.”

Catra’s eyes went wide. “Is it what I think it is?”

“That depends,” Adora said, shrugging. “Do you want me to fuck you with my strap?”

“God, yes,” Catra blurted, nodding. “Fuck. Absolutely, yes.”

“Then yes.” Adora tugged gently at her hand. “Come with me.”

Adora led her through the open-concept living room to a small hallway on one side of the apartment, and Catra couldn’t keep back a gasp at seeing her bedroom for the first time. 

The bed was a massive, soft-looking California King, and there were floor-to-ceiling windows that spanned the length of an entire wall, but that wasn’t what Catra was concerned with. No, she was staring at the huge, floor-length mirror sitting against the wall opposite Adora’s bed.

Adora stood behind her, and moved her hair away from the side of her neck before putting her hands firmly on Catra’s waist. She leaned in, kissing gently at the exposed skin. “I’ve been waiting for this all night,” She said quietly, squeezing Catra’s waist. “Do you want to take your dress off for me?”

“Are you really asking?” Catra said, letting her eyes flutter closed. 

Adora thought for a moment. “No,” She decided. One of her hands moved to wrap around Catra’s throat. Her voice dropped, and came out in a low, authoritative tone that made Catra’s knees weak. “Take your dress off.”

Catra swallowed, feeling her throat bob against Adora’s hand, and gave a few shaky nods before asking, “Unzip me?” 

Adora nodded behind her, and the hand around her throat moved to tug gently at the zipper of her dress. She pulled it down slowly, gasping at the black lace revealed underneath, until her fingers were just grazing the curve of Catra’s ass. 

Then Adora walked around her, sitting at the edge of her bed to watch as Catra took her dress the rest of the way off. Catra took a deep breath, putting on her best _fuck-me_ expression before sliding the straps of her dress off her shoulders.

The dress fell lightly to the ground, leaving her in just the black lace underneath.

Adora’s eyes widened as a ragged gasp tore its way out of her. Catra _still_ hadn’t put her underwear on, it seemed. “Fuck.”

“You like it, sir?” Catra asked, feeling her confidence build. She took a few slow steps forward, swaying her hips, until she was standing directly in front of Adora. 

She let a hand play lightly at Adora’s tie before pushing her suit jacket off her shoulders. 

Her fingers began to work at the tie next, undoing it carefully. “You know, you’ve been telling me all night how good _I_ look, but you?” Catra shook her head, letting out a wistful exhale. “You’re so fucking handsome.” 

The tie came undone in her hands, and she moved onto the buttons of Adora’s shirt.

“And I’ve been thinking all night about this, too,” Catra continued, slowly unbuttoning the crisp white shirt she wore. “About you fucking me here. About putting on a show for you. All of it.” 

Adora’s throat bobbed as she swallowed. Her hands were clenched tightly at her sides.

Adora’s shirt was half-unbuttoned, and she could see a skin-colored binder underneath. _That explains how flat her chest was_ , Catra thought idly, running her fingers over it. Her eyes flicked down to Adora’s hands before bringing one of them up to her chest. “You can touch, you know.”

Adora put her other hand back on Catra’s hips, trailing the other down her chest, and swallowed hard. She had to clear her throat before speaking. “Lay down on the bed.”

“On my back?” Catra asked, raising an eyebrow. “Or on my stomach?”

Adora considered the question for a moment, dragging her eyes up and down Catra’s body. “Your back,” She decided. “I want to see you.”

The words sent a jolt of heat through her. Catra nodded, swallowing. “Okay.” She moved onto the bed, positioning herself, while Adora stood up. Her shirt was half-undone, but it was still tucked into her pants. 

Adora looked at her and let out a sharp, breathy laugh. “God, you look good.”

“Have you seen yourself?” Catra asked, a flicker of nervousness shooting through her.

Adora kept her eyes on Catra a moment longer, taking in the sight of her on her bed, before turning to her dresser. “We’ll start with something on the smaller side,” Adora said, opening the top drawer. She pulled out a mid-size dildo with a flared base. “How’s this?”

Catra’s eyes widened. She swallowed hard. “Y—yeah. That— that looks good.”

Adora nodded, smiling. “Good.” She set the dildo on top of the dresser before moving so Catra could see all of her. They made eye contact. Then, with slow, deliberate motions, Adora began to undo her belt. 

Catra’s mouth was suddenly very dry. She crossed her legs together tightly, watching Adora curl it gently and set it down. Her desperation must have shown on her face, because Adora said, “You’re already wet for me, aren’t you?”

Catra pushed down a spark of embarrassment and nodded. “Yes, sir.”

“Good,” Adora said. She undid the button of her pants, dragging the zipper down before taking them off completely. Her boxers had a small, black O-ring in them. 

Catra realized she must have been wearing them all night in anticipation, and for some reason it made her squeeze her legs together tighter. “Do you want me to keep my shirt on?” Adora asked, fingers playing gently at the buttons.

Catra blinked, swallowing. Her throat was too dry to get the word out on the first try. “Please,” She said, nodding. “Yeah. God. I do.”

Adora rolled the sleeves of her shirt up before putting the dildo into her harness. “Put your hands on the headboard.”

Catra obeyed without hesitation. She had to scoot back a little on the bed to reach it, but she did it. The movement exposed her body, which she supposed was Adora’s plan all along, and it only made the anticipation in her stomach grow. 

Adora walked towards her slowly. There was a look in her eyes that made Catra squirm, and she squeezed her legs together even tighter. “Remember,” Adora said, positioning herself over on the bed. “We can stop anytime. No hard feelings.”

Even in the midst of the horny, desperate fog in her brain, Catra felt a small relief. “I know, baby. I want this.”

Adora nodded. “Good. I do too.” Her voice dropped a few notes, taking on a hard, almost demanding tone. “But if you even _think_ about moving your hands, I’m not letting you cum.”

Catra couldn’t help but whimper at the words. “That’s not fair.”

“If I remember your list right, you didn’t _want_ fair.” Adora leaned in for a kiss, starting almost deceptively gentle before biting gently at Catra’s lip. One of her hands trailed lightly down Catra’s chest, running her fingers the smooth lace of the lingerie that covered her body.

“God,” Adora said in between kisses. “You look so fucking good for me in this set.” She leaned down, kissing gently down Catra’s jaw and past the marks on her neck, to begin kissing a trail down her chest.

All the desperation of the night — first from the bathroom, then the car — was beginning to build again. Catra whined, feeling every Adora’s lips like an electric shock. “Please,” She breathed, hands tightening on the headboard. “Please.”

“Begging already?” Adora said, raising an eyebrow. “I’ve barely touched you, princess.” As she spoke, she dragged her fingers gently through Catra’s folds, watching intently as her back arched up off the pillows. “God, you’re soaked.”

Catra squeezed her eyes shut. “Please. I-I need you.”

Adora coated two of her fingers in Catra’s slick, pressing gently at her entrance. “You have me, baby. I just wanna prep you first.” She slid her fingers in gently, earning a tight, sharp gasp from Catra. 

Catra sucked in a shallow, panting breath as Adora brought her other hand up to rub gently at her clit. “Fuck. Faster, please—” Adora sped up her other hand, increasing the rhythm of her thrusts, and Catra cut off with a whine. “Fuck. Y—yeah, just—just like that.”

Adora nodded. She could feel Catra’s legs starting to shake, and knew she wouldn’t last much longer. Adora added another finger slowly, working it into her patiently, and slowed down the circles around her clit as she did.

All of Catra’s willpower was going towards keeping her hands on the headboard. “Please. Please,” She breathed, over and over. “Need your cock.”

Adora nodded. She wasn’t sure how much time had passed, but Catra was taking three of her fingers without an issue. “Alright, princess. I’ll go slow, okay?”

Catra nodded, eyes still squeezed shut. She gasped as Adora drew her fingers out slowly, shuddering at the sudden lack of fullness. 

She heard the cap of a small bottle opening, heard a squirting noise, and opened her eyes to see Adora palming her dick, running lube over it. She was staring at Catra with eyes that were more black than blue, greedily taking in the sight of her glistening pussy and the lace set she wore.

“L—like what you see?” Catra asked, staring at her jerking herself off. 

Adora let out a breathy laugh. “Understatement,” She said, wiping her hand off on a nearby towel. “Are you ready?” At Catra’s furious, insistent nod, she leaned forward to kiss her. 

With one hand, Adora lined her cock up with Catra’s entrance. The other was holding her up, and Catra’s eyes went instantly to the muscles flexing in her arm. 

Her own hands tightened against the headboard as Adora slid herself in slowly, going inch by inch. 

Adora’s fingers had prepared Catra well, but _god_. The stretch was justright, some perfect mix of _too much_ and _not enough_ that had her tipping her head back and gasping. 

Catra hadn’t felt full like this in years. When Adora finally bottomed out, letting out a shaky breath as her cock finally disappeared inside Catra completely, she asked, “Do you need a second to adjust?”

“No,” Catra said, shaking her head. “Please, I-I need you so bad—” Adora adjusted, rolling her hips experimentally, and Catra cut off with a shaky moan. “Fuck. Again.”

Adora complied, thrusting her hips shallowly into Catra, and watched her mouth tip open in pleasure. She let out a ragged breath, gasping, and as she began to set a gentle, smooth rhythm Adora used her free hand to rub gently at Catra’s clit. 

Catra’s eyes rolled back in her head. She had been dangerously close to the edge since being interrupted in the car, and the combined sensation of Adora’s cock in her and the fingers on her clit had her rushing toward it again. 

Somehow, it wasn’t quite enough. She wasn’t sure what she needed, but she knew it needed to be— 

“Harder,” Catra gasped, closing her eyes. “Please, daddy.”

She wasn’t sure how the word slipped out of her mouth, but it did. She felt Adora’s hips stutter in the middle of fucking her, and looked at her to see Adora staring wide-eyed. “Did you just call me—”

“No,” Catra said, instantly defensive. “What? I don’t—”

“Do it again.” Adora punctuated the statement with a particularly hard thrust that had Catra gasping for breath. “Do it again, Catra.”

Catra closed her eyes as Adora found a new pace, fucking into her hard enough to make her body shake. “Daddy,” She repeated, ignoring the initial flame of embarrassment at saying it. “Fuck. I— I’m gonna cum—” 

“Take your hands off the headboard,” Adora said, grunting a little with each thrust.

Catra did, instantly. Her hands flew to Adora’s back, digging tightly into the hard muscle there. Her nails dragged down it hard enough to leave scratches as Adora rolled her hips. “You’ve done so well for me,” Adora grunted, rubbing faster at her clit. “You wanna cum for me, princess?”

The ability to speak had left her, so Catra just nodded instead. She wrapped her legs around Adora’s waist, pulling her as close as possible. 

“Do it,” Adora grunted, face red from the exertion. “Cum for me, baby.”

Catra felt her entire body go rigid as she fell over the edge. For a split second, she went completely still. Her orgasm hit full force a moment later. 

Stars flew through her vision as her body began to shake. Catra felt herself clench hard around Adora’s cock, which only made the feeling better, and dug her hands as hard as she could into the shirt at Adora’s back. 

Somewhere, she was aware of the sound of something tearing, but she was too focused on the waves of pleasure cresting again, and again, and again to think of anything besides herself and Adora buried deep inside her.

Catra didn’t know how much time had passed before she was able to think again, but when she finally started to come down Adora was laying with her. She was in a slightly awkward position, since her dick was still inside Catra, but she had moved so her upper body was propped up next to Catra on the pillow.

“Hi,” Adora said quietly, giving her a soft smile. She moved an errant strand of hair out of Catra’s face. “You look really good when you cum, you know.”

“Thanks.” Catra’s throat was raw from how much noise she’d made. 

“How do you feel?” Adora asked, frowning in concern.

Catra let out a contented sigh, stroking at the skin of Adora’s cheek before leaning up to kiss her. “Fucking amazing,” She said. “I mean, that was probably one of the biggest orgasms I’ve ever had.”

“You ripped my shirt, so I sure hope so.”

Catra blinked. “What?”

Adora nodded. “It’s okay. I have ten more just like it.” A lopsided smile made its way onto her face. “I kinda liked it. Very sexy.”

“Do you—” Catra cleared her throat. “I mean, do you want me to—” She gestured between them awkwardly, very aware that her brain was still running at quarter speed. “I-I’m more than happy to reciprocate.”

Adora shook her head. “I’m okay. I much prefer giving to receiving,” She said. “And watching you cum like that was…” She paused, letting out a shallow breath. “Fucking amazing.”

“You liked it?” Catra asked, hearing her voice come out small and more vulnerable than it had any right to be.

“I loved it,” Adora said, completely earnest. “I absolutely loved it.” She shifted, and the movement of her dick sent another shock up Catra’s spine. “Sorry,” Adora said, genuinely concerned. “Do you want me to pull out?”

Catra shook her head. “I wanna stay like this,” She mumbled, pulling Adora closer to her. “Makes me feel close to you.”

Adora smiled to herself, wrapping her arms around Catra and pulling her into her chest. “Then we can stay like this for however long you want, sweetheart. I’m all yours.”

“Promise?” Catra asked quietly, closing her eyes. The adrenaline and the orgasm were starting to fade, which left her more tired than she was expecting. 

She knew herself well enough to know that she’d probably be good to go again within an hour. For now, though, she just wanted to be held. Was that such a crime?

Adora’s smile widened as she closed her eyes, rubbing gently at Catra’s back. They would have to undress before they went to bed, but that could wait. Right now her job was to make sure Catra knew she was safe. 

They laid like that for a while, eyes closed and Catra’s head resting on Adora’s chest, until Adora broke the silence. 

“Come to London with me,” She said. 

Catra blinked her eyes open, propping her chin up on Adora’s chest. “What?”

“Come to London with me,” Adora repeated. “I— Spring break is coming up, right?” At Catra’s slow, hesitant nod, she said, “I have a conference in London that week. You should come with me. We’ll fly first class and everything.” 

“I—” Catra blinked, letting out a surprised laugh. “I’ve never even been outside the country, and you want to fly me first class to England?”

“Of course I do,” Adora said, surprisingly tender. “I… like you a lot, Catra. You’re funny, you’re smart, you’re the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen,” She said, shrugging. “You’re kind of the whole package.”

Catra just stared at her for a second before letting out another breath of laughter. “Wow. Um.” In her mind, there was no debate. “You’re kind of the whole package, too,” Catra said, smiling. “Of course I’ll come.”

“Perfect,” Adora said, smiling. “It’s a date.”


	2. london

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Catra meets the parents. Adora commissions another dress. Feelings are caught.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ello luvs! we're going to london in this chapter. very exciting. i feel like i've kind of spoiled you guys writing so much in the span of like. two weeks but unfortunately the gap between this chapter and the next one is probably going to be bigger because i have midterms next week

Catra wasn’t sure what to expect from a first-class flight to London, but even in her wildest dreams she couldn’t have imagined the pure _luxury_ of it. 

As Adora told her — in low, conversational tones in the line for security — British Airways had always had an unreasonably posh first-class compartment. 

Catra expected legroom and free vodka. Maybe even headphones and a blanket, if she was lucky. 

If she was going to go through the trouble of getting a passport, she wanted to get something good out of the experience. 

Needless to say, the twin pods she and Adora were seated in were _more_ than enough to exceed her expectations. 

“No. You’re fucking kidding me,” She said, looking over at Adora. “ _This_ is where we’re sitting?”

Adora had a soft, shy smile on her face. It was the same one she always had seeing Catra’s reactions to expensive gifts, and it didn’t waver now. 

“It is,” She said, nodding. “Yours is on the right, by the window.”

“Why the window?”

“I wanted you to be able to see the city as we fly in,” Adora said, sliding Catra’s suitcase neatly into the overhead compartment. “You said you’ve never been out of the country, so… I dunno. I wanted it to be as good a trip as possible.”

It was a small gesture, but Catra could feel her heart thump a little harder in her chest because of it. She swallowed, trying not to let her blush show. “Next you’re going to tell me you ordered us a bottle of champagne, too.”

“I can do that, too,” Adora said, pulling out her wallet. “Do you have a preference as to the brand?”

Catra rolled her eyes. “Put that away. We’ll get drinks later, baby. It’s barely 9am.” It was true, after all. Their flight was scheduled for just after 9:30, which meant Adora made them leave her apartment at 6:30. 

_That_ meant Catra had to get up nearly two hours before to finish packing, get her toiletries in order, and decide what to wear. If she had been traveling with literally anyone else, she wouldn’t have done it.

Adora smiled. “It’s five o’clock somewhere, right?”

Catra settled into her seat, fiddling with the buttons for a moment until it was positioned the way she wanted. She let out a contented sigh. 

“Didn’t know I was dating Jimmy Buffett,” She said, yawning. “Hey, do you think if I fell asleep now, I could— why are you staring at me like that?”

Adora’s eyes were wide, and her mouth was hanging open. She had frozen in the aisle, much to the frustration of some of their fellow first-class guests. “You—”

“At least sit down first,” Catra said, eyes flicking over to the line growing behind her. “C’mere. What’s up?”

Adora did, scooting over to her. “You said you were dating me,” She said, dumbfounded. 

“Yeah.” Catra blinked. “Am I… not?”

“I— Do you want to be?”

“I mean,” Catra started, blinking. It was too early for this. She had barely had her second cup of coffee. “Yeah? You buy me stuff, you give _really_ good head, and you’re probably the most thoughtful person I’ve ever met, so.” She yawned. “I just assumed that’s… where we were.”

“I just—” Adora lowered her voice, scooting closer, “I don’t want to take any opportunities away from you. I mean, you’re in college, and—”

“I’m in grad school.”

Adora didn’t seem to have heard her, continuing, “—And that’s where most people meet their partners, so I don’t want to stand in the way of that if it’s something you—”

“Adora,” Catra said, putting a hand gently on her wrist. The soothing, gentle touch shut her up instantly. “Listen to me. We don’t have to label it right now if it’s gonna freak you out, but… I like the idea, honestly.”

Adora nodded once, then twice. “Can we—” She sighed. “Can we talk about it again when we get back from the trip?”

Catra felt a flicker of unease in her stomach, but nodded. “Sure,” She said. “Yeah. We can do that.”

Adora nodded again, seemingly relieved. “Thank you.”

“Is there—” Catra blinked. “Is there someone else?” It wasn’t something she had ever considered, but now that the thought had entered her mind she found it hard to shake. 

Unease became dread as Adora’s eyes widened.

“God, no,” She said, shaking her head with a frown. “No. I’m in—” Her words died in her throat, and she shook her head. “No. There’s no one else.”

“What were you going to say?”

“What?” Adora said, feigning innocence. “I don’t know what—”

She was interrupted by the sound of the pre-flight announcements coming on over the PA system. Catra tried to convince herself that she imagined the sigh of relief Adora let out, but found it hard to shake. She was grateful for the reassurance, though.

For some reason, even though they’d only known each other for a few months — though, for some reason, it felt much longer — Catra trusted her. She trusted her opinion, she trusted her judgement, and she had never found a reason to doubt her words. 

And, really, they would only be gone a week. Catra was sure she could wait a week to talk about a _label_ , of all things.

Well. She was _mostly_ sure, anyway.

They had both begun to get out various laptops and headphones by the time the announcements ended shortly after. 

Adora turned to her with a tentative look on her face. The left side of her jaw was clenched. That meant she was nervous about something. “Are, um. Are you okay?”

Catra thought for a moment about the question. It wasn’t the most ideal outcome for the situation, — considering she’d rather just establish whether or not they were dating and get it over with — but there was no harm in waiting.

She decided that there wasn’t actually anything wrong, and nodded, rubbing gently at Adora’s arm. “Yeah, dummy. I’m okay.” She nodded towards her laptop, halfway open. “What are we watching?”

“Oh,” Adora blinked. “I’m not sure. I-I was gonna try and get some work done, honestly—”

“You’re gonna be working all week,” Catra said. “Let me steal you for a few hours.”

Adora looked at the computer for a moment, clearly debating it in her head, before turning back to Catra with a small smile. “Okay.”

“Okay,” Catra repeated. “Let me find my headphone splitter.” She started rummaging through her bag with a frown. She could’ve sworn it was in the top pocket, but it was empty when she checked.

“We could do Pride and Prejudice. For the movie, I mean,” Adora clarified. “Y’know. Get ourselves in the mood for London.”

“I’ve never seen it,” Catra said, distracted. Her frown was deepening by the second. If it wasn’t in the top pocket, it would be with the rest of her chargers, but she couldn’t see it there, either.

“Wait, really?”

“Nope,” Catra said, popping the _p_. She leaned back with a sigh. “Do you know where I put the splitter?”

Adora was pulling something up on her computer screen, and didn’t move her eyes as she answered, “Middle compartment of your backpack. It’s in the bag under your hoodie.”

Catra blinked. Her hands stilled. “Oh.”

Adora nodded, not noticing her reaction. “You wanted it to be with your headphones, remember? The—the big over-ear ones.”

As soon as Adora reminded her, Catra _did_ remember. “Thanks,” She said, oddly touched by the simple gesture of memory. Sure enough, it was exactly where Adora said it was. 

The headphones in question were beautiful, and were about one step away from being studio-grade. They had been a gift from one of Catra’s uncles, who managed a recording studio near the Staples Center. 

Around them, the rumbling of the plane started. Adora winced next to her at the sound.

“You okay?” Catra asked, frowning lightly.

Adora nodded, jaw pulsing. “Sorry. I just— the noise, it gets overwhelming. Normally, I just use my earbuds, but I think I left them at home.”

Catra didn’t think twice before handing her headphones over to Adora. “Try these,” She said. “They help keep noise out, like, _really_ well.”

“Are you sure?”

Catra nodded. “I have a spare pair. I think you need these more than I do.”

Adora paused for a second to look at her with a soft, unreadable expression. “Thank you,” She said quietly, slipping them over her head with a grateful sigh. Catra pulled her other pair out, plugged the cord into the splitter, and handed it to Adora for her to do the same.

Adora shifted in her seat, putting the laptop in the space between them as the title credits began to roll, and let out a small sigh. “I like this,” She murmured, turning to Catra. “Thank you for coming with me.”

“Trust me,” Catra said, smiling. “I wouldn’t miss it.”

Boarding stopped a few moments later as the plane readied for departure, but neither of them noticed until a flight attendant politely asked them to put the computer away. Catra was too focused on Keira Knightley, the costuming, and the soundtrack of the movie, and Adora was too focused on her. 

Takeoff was easier than usual, probably due to Catra’s hand in hers. They resumed the movie as soon as the plane was in the air.

They had been together — in whatever capacity that meant — for nearly two months now, and still, every time Adora looked at Catra she got butterflies in her stomach. That was _especially_ true when they were watching movies together.

Their schedules weren’t always as compatible as they hoped, which meant it had only happened a couple of times. The first was with _Pretty Woman_ , which felt a little on-the-nose for their situation. 

One scene gave Adora an idea, though, that still hadn’t left her. In fact, it was sitting in the cargo hold, and was safely tucked away in a corner of her suitcase that Catra hadn’t watched her pack.

The second had been when they were both a little tipsy, and they hadn’t watched the movie for more than 20 minutes before Catra was unbuttoning Adora’s pants like her life depended on it. Adora didn’t remember the movie, but she _did_ remember Catra riding her until her legs gave out.

The memory made her swallow, and she had to fight to keep a blush off her face. 

Catra noticed, just like she always did. “You okay?” She asked, raising an eyebrow. 

Adora nodded, hoping the redness on her face wasn’t too visible, before pointing awkwardly back to the movie. 

“You should watch this part,” She said, leaning closer to Catra. The separation between their pods made it hard to touch, and even harder to properly see everything.

Catra let out a short breath of air, craning her head up to see it better. She gnawed at the inside of her lip for a moment. “Pause it,” She said. Adora did, though not without an ounce of confusion. 

Grabbing her hoodie, a bottle of water, and her phone, Catra stood. She scooted awkwardly around the barrier between them until she was standing in front of Adora’s seat. “Move over,” She said, nodding at the seat.

Adora blinked. “What?”

“Move over,” Catra said, raising her eyebrows. “Unless you don’t want to cuddle.”

Adora most _definitely_ wanted to cuddle. She nodded furiously, squishing herself to one side as she tried to create as much space as she could. Catra was shorter and more slender than she was, and slid in without an issue.

In the end, given how long Adora’s legs were and how narrow the seat was, Catra ended up laying with her head on Adora’s chest and her arms wrapped around her chest. 

Their legs were tangled up so thoroughly that neither were sure which ones belonged to whom. But more importantly, they were completely and utterly content.

Between the steady rumble of the engines, Adora’s hand on her back, and the warmth of the embrace they were in, Catra found it impossible to resist the temptation of sleep. 

When she woke up, coming out of her half-conscious state with a groggy noise of surprise, she found Adora in the same spot stroking her hair. Adora looked down as she moved, stretching lightly, and gave her a smile. “Good morning, sleepyhead.”

“Shut up,” Catra grumbled, rubbing her eyes with a yawn. “How long was I out?”

Adora shrugged. “Not long. An hour, maybe? Less?”

“Did you finish the movie?”

“Of course not. I saved it for you,” Adora said, smiling. “I tried to work, but _somebody_ wanted me to keep my hand on her.” 

Now that she thought about it, Catra _did_ remember Adora trying to move her hand. If she remembered right, she had grabbed it and held it firmly to her.

“Oops,” Catra said, snuggling further into her. “Guess you’re stuck with me. How much is left in the flight?”

Adora checked her phone. “Seven hours and thirty-two minutes.”

“You’re kidding.”

“I wish,” Adora said. “It’s not all bad, though. Lunch should be coming soon.”

Catra wrinkled her nose. “It’s airplane lunch.”

“Take it or leave it,” Adora said, raising her eyebrows. “It’s either airplane lunch or no lunch.”

Catra sighed. “So DoorDash doesn’t work in the air, huh?”

Adora let out a snort of laughter. “If you want Jamba Juice that bad, I’m sure there’ll be one in Heathrow.”

“What time do we land again?”

“Uh,” Adora said, frowning in thought. “We left around 9am, right?” At Catra’s nod, she thought for half a second before saying, “Well, we have a quick layover in Dallas, so… about 6am.”

Catra grimaced. “Why are we getting in so early?”

Adora smiled. “Because the conference doesn’t start for another few days, and I wanted to spend as much time with you as I possibly could. And because I made us a reservation tomorrow night at one of the best restaurants in the city.”

Catra raised her eyebrows. “Is that so? And,” She said, resting a hand on Adora’s stomach, “this restaurant, is it… going to be expensive, do you think? Because I’m _more_ than happy to pay you back.”

Adora couldn’t help but dart her eyes around at the other people in the cabin. There was a partition that separated them from the next people over, and there was already a blanket covering them, but still. 

“What are you doing?” She asked, voice dropping. 

“You think I didn’t notice you were packing?” Catra asked, raising an eyebrow. It was true— Catra hadn’t let her wear a binder considering how long they’d be on the flight, but the bulge in her pants had been unmistakeable. 

Adora swallowed. “Yeah, but… right here?”

“If you want,” Catra said. “Or you can meet me in the bathroom in two minutes.”

“You have a big thing for bathrooms, huh?”

Catra rolled her eyes. “The rest of the cabin is asleep, and I’m pretty sure the flight attendants are too busy dealing with the puking kids in economy to notice us.”

“I don’t know,” Adora said, cocking her head to the side. “It’s a little risky.” 

“Consider it a challenge.”

Adora looked at her for a moment. Then, the hand on Catra’s back moved down, brushing gently over her ass. 

“I think I have a better idea,” She said. “Sit between my legs and pull the blanket up over you.”

Catra swallowed at the sudden change in tone. Adora’s voice dropped, dipping into a register that made it impossible for Catra not to listen to her. Her hand squeezed firmly at Catra’s ass as she spoke. 

Repositioning herself was only mildly awkward, and as soon as Catra had pulled the blanket up to her chin she felt Adora’s arms wrap around her body solidly. One of her hands started playing at the hem of Catra’s hoodie.

“What now?” Catra asked, swallowing back a gasp as Adora’s hand slid up her shirt, settling on her stomach. 

“Now,” Adora said, “we’re going to watch a movie.”

Catra blinked. “What?”

“You wanted a challenge, right?” Adora’s other hand brushed against her, sliding down until two of her fingers just barely brushed the waistband of Catra’s joggers. “If you take your eyes off the screen, I stop. If you make a sound, I stop,” She said. “How’s that for a challenge?”

Catra closed her eyes, nodding. “S—sounds good.”

“You remember your safeword?” Adora asked.

“Of course.” Adora raised her eyebrows expectantly, and Catra continued, “Pineapple. Are you happy?” 

When they’d had the conversation a few weeks ago, _pineapple_ had been the first word Catra was able to think of. It was mildly embarrassing, but it wasn’t something likely to come up during sex, so it got the job done. 

Adora nodded, satisfied, and pressed a kiss to her forehead. “Good girl.” She picked a movie at random from her library — the Princess Bride, Catra realized distantly — and pressed play.

For the first few minutes, she went easy. Her fingers stayed at the waistband of Catra’s pants, and didn’t move or travel downwards. 

Then, at around the ten-minute mark, Adora’s hands began to wander. 

Since they were both wrapped around Catra’s body, she had more or less full range over her. The hand at Catra’s pants dipped down, grazing gently over the fabric covering her pussy, while the other pushed up past her shirt and found her tits.

Catra bit down on her lip as Adora rubbed over her clit a few times, trying to focus on keeping her breathing steady. The last thing she wanted to do was get caught.

The hand at her chest moved towards one of her nipples, pinching gently at the soft skin until it stiffened. 

Catra’s eyes closed for a moment as her head fell back, and just like that the sensation vanished— but not without a sharp slap to her clit. 

Her hips jerked out of reflex, and she found it hard to keep herself from gasping. 

The pain was new — though it was something they’d been discussing for a while — but not unwelcome. If Adora was going to do that every time, maybe it would be harder than Catra thought to keep quiet.

Catra was about to complain about losing the stimulation when Adora leaned down, muttering, “What did I tell you? Keep quiet for me, baby. Eyes open.”

If Catra could study physics at one of the best schools in the world, she could do this. 

She redoubled her efforts, focusing on the laptop screen as Adora’s hands returned to where they had been moments earlier. 

They had both figured out early into their relationship that Catra was a very proud person. Most of that pride was earned, too. That meant many things.

The thing that Adora exploited the most, though, was her desire for praise. As much as she liked to pretend she didn’t need it, Adora saw the way she melted under a few kind words. 

Normally, Adora gave praise freely and often. 

Today, she was making Catra earn it. 

She switched the hand at Catra’s tits to the other side, rolling her other nipple in her fingers, just as she dipped her other hand below the line of Catra’s underwear — a pair of Adora’s boxers, at the moment — and began to rub her clit in earnest.

Catra had to bite down on the blanket to keep herself from whimpering audibly, and even then she heard her breaths coming out muffled. Her heart was racing, pounding in her chest as Adora touched her, and she wasn’t sure how long she would be able to last like this.

Adora’s fingers dipped downwards, collecting some of the wetness at her entrance, and Catra couldn’t help but let out a quiet, muffled whine. 

Less than a second later, she felt another slap to her pussy before Adora’s hands disappeared.

This time, the hit was harder, sharper, and left Catra panting, needy, and more alone than she had any right to be. The lack of sensation made her whine again. 

“Please,” She said, keeping her voice low. 

“Please, what?” Adora asked, murmuring into her ear.

“Please, daddy.” Catra fumbled for Adora’s hand, pushing it back against her as her hips moved up to meet it. “I need you.”

After the first time the title had slipped out, Catra had felt the need to explain herself to Adora. 

She had never really been into the actual, hardcore _daddy-dom_ idea, after all. That was too much. Calling Adora the name was just… a little hot. 

Adora had understood, of course, and had been relieved to hear that that was the case. Coincidentally, it was one of several masculine terms that made her feel more empowered during sex. It was a win-win, really. Honestly, they would be fools _not_ to use it.

Under the blanket, Adora’s hand moved back to her clit and began to rub. Catra’s mouth tipped open with a gasp. “See?” She asked, rolling her nipple between her thumb and forefinger. “Was that so hard, princess?”

Catra shook her head, careful to keep herself quiet even as Adora’s fingers sped up.

By the time they hit the thirty-minute mark of the movie, Catra was on the verge of tears from desperation. 

Every time she got close to her orgasm, she would make a small, barely audible sound, and it would be ripped away from her. Every time, her body began to tremble only to be forced back into a state of pure, unrelenting _need_. 

And every fucking time, the hit Adora gave her pussy would be harder than the last. 

Catra had never thought of herself as particularly impressed by pain, but this was something different. It melted so quickly into pleasure that it only left her more desperate every time.

When it happened again, Catra had to bite down on the blanket to keep from letting out a sob. Her hips bucked up against Adora’s hand, desperately chasing the pleasure stolen from her.

Adora had been watching her carefully the whole time. With the movement, she seemed to notice just how deep Catra had fallen into subspace.

“Talk to me, baby,” She said, concerned. “What do you need?”

Catra tried, but all that came out was a quiet, cracked, “Please.”

Adora had a knack for knowing what she meant. She nodded. “You’ve done so well for me, sweetheart. Do you want me to let you cum?”

Catra nodded furiously, feeling like she could have cried. Again, she tried to speak, but a cloud of hazy, desperate need had settled over her brain. “P—please.”

Adora nodded, pressing a kiss to her temple as she moved her hand slowly back into place. She began to rub Catra’s clit, feeling her hips jerk at the sudden contact. Catra let out a quiet, keening whimper at the feeling.

With her other hand, Adora reached up under the blanket to cover Catra’s mouth. She knew how loud Catra could get, especially when she was as deep in subspace as she was now, and getting caught wouldn’t do either of them any good.

Adora sped up the movements of her fingers, feeling Catra’s body start to stiffen in response. She was letting out quiet noises and hot, jagged breaths against Adora’s hand.

“What do you need, baby?” Adora repeated, murmuring the question into Catra’s ear.

“I-I don’t know.” The words came out plaintive, desperate. “I—” Adora gave her another firm, hard slap to her pussy, and somehow that was all she needed to fall headfirst over the edge. 

Catra’s eyes rolled back in her head as her body shook, legs trembling and breath coming out in quiet, low whimpers.

Her chest heaved with shaky breaths as Adora took her gently through the orgasm, whispering praises into her ear and rubbing her clit in slow, gentle circles. 

“I’m right here,” She murmured between kisses to Catra’s forehead. “I’m right here, baby. You did so well for me.”

The praise rolled over her, warm and fuzzy as a blanket, and Catra turned to bury her face in Adora’s chest. “All for you,” She mumbled. The words felt thick in her mouth.

Adora moved to hold Catra against her, rubbing her back slowly and smoothly. “You remember your name?”

Catra nodded slowly. “‘S’Catra.”

“That’s right,” Adora said. “Do you remember your major?”

Catra leaned up with a frown, cracking an eye open. “Does it matter?”

“I just wanna make sure you’re not too far gone,” Adora said, brushing a strand of hair out of Catra’s face. “Come back to me.”

Catra seemed satisfied with that answer. “Physics,” She said after a moment. “But, like, _real_ physics. Tangible physics. Not that fuckin’ particle shit.”

Adora laughed, and the movement made her chest jerk under Catra’s head. “My physicist,” She said fondly. “I’m proud of you.”

Catra smiled, wrapping her arms around Adora’s torso as best as she could. “Thanks,” She mumbled. “‘M’sorry I got so deep into subspace.”

“You don’t have to apologize,” Adora said. “I’m sorry it happened in such a public place.”

“We have a wall,” Catra said, gesturing vaguely to the partitions on either side. “They didn’t see anything.”

Adora nodded. She was quiet for a moment, and when she spoke again there was a thread of nervousness in her voice. “Was it okay that I—” She swallowed, blushing. “That I-I made you cum the way I did?”

“You mean, was it okay that you spanked my pussy?” Catra said, propping her head up on Adora’s chest. “Fuck, yes. I had no idea I could cum from that.”

“I mean, it was probably the hottest thing I’ve ever seen, so I’m not complaining.”

Catra let out a breath of laughter, resting her head back down. “Thank you.”

Adora cocked her head to the side. “For what?”

“All of it,” Catra said, smiling. “The trip, the orgasm, taking care of me, all of it.”

“I’m always gonna take care of you.” The words were spoken softly and without hesitation. Somehow, without needing to think twice, Catra knew that Adora meant them. 

She smiled. “I know.”

*** * ***

By the time the plane finally landed, Catra was _more_ than ready to be back on solid ground again. 

She’d never particularly enjoyed flying — before this trip, in fact, she’d only done it a handful of times — and the turbulence they faced at the end didn’t help.

Adora held her hand the whole time, reaching through the partition between them to reassure her, and had told her story after story to make her laugh. Still, landing safely was more of a relief than it probably should’ve been.

The sun had just started to rise by the time they got their bags, but Catra barely recognized it from how hard it was raining. Both of them were a little damp by the time they finally flagged down a cab.

At some point during the plane ride, they’d switched hoodies. The one Catra wore now — a dark red hoodie from Adora’s college hockey team — was a few sizes too big, and provided the perfect amount of warmth. 

Adora’s was, conversely, much smaller than what she was used to. It was a lovely dark green. Coupled with the Red Sox cap she was wearing, Catra thought it made her look like either a suburban dad on a hike or a camp counselor in the most endearing way possible.

The thought made Catra smile. They were a good match. 

When the sun finally began to shed light on the city, Catra got her first look at it.

London was different than she had expected. 

It was the oldest place she had ever been, for one. Adora had gotten her a guidebook before they left, and after about five hours on the plane she’d finally opened it.

Adora had fallen asleep for a bit around the time they started traveling over the ocean, and when she had woken up she’d been greeted with the sight of Catra reading about the Viking occupation of the city with a pair of sturdy, round glasses on her face.

As they drove through the streets, Catra found herself staring out the window. “Did you know the city was almost destroyed during World War II?” She asked. There was a church on the corner made of weathered, greyish-yellow stone. It still bore the scorch marks and bullet holes of war.

Adora nodded, scrolling idly through her emails. “I did. My grandma’s house was destroyed in the Blitz,” She said, frowning at a spam email.

Catra blinked, turning around. “I didn’t know that.”

“What?” Adora asked, distracted.

“That you have family from here.”

“Oh, yeah,” Adora nodded. “On my mom’s side. My dad’s family is Irish, though. Family reunions are, uh... a little tense.”

Catra smiled at the joke. “My mom’s from Venezuela, and my dad is Mexican,” She said. “I can’t remember if I told you that or not.”

Adora nodded. “Yep. Your parents met when they were doing their grad work at UCSB, right? And then they stayed in the area to work as professors?”

“Good memory,” Catra said, nodding. “Do you remember what subjects they teach?”

Adora thought for a second. “One does hydrology,” She said. “The other is… American history?”

“ _Very_ good memory.” Catra gave her a grin. “My mom is the historian, and my dad is the hydrologist.” 

“See, that’s so much cooler than mine,” Adora said, shaking her head. “My parents just worked for the company. I don’t think they ever even told me where they went to college.”

Catra’s smile faded. Up until this point, she hadn’t really thought twice about the fact that Adora had a family. She didn’t mention them very often.

Now that she thought about it, the only thing Catra really knew about Adora’s family was that they owned her company. She’d found that out in a news article, not a conversation.

Her smile began to slide off her face. “You don’t talk about them very often.”

“Who?”

“Your family,” Catra said.

Adora shrugged. “Yeah. I don’t talk _to_ them often, either.”

“Yeah, but, I mean—” Catra blinked, frowning. “What about your siblings?”

“Don’t have any.”

“Seriously?”

Adora shook her head idly. “The closest thing I had to one was my cousin Mara, and even then we weren’t exactly close.”

“So _that’s_ who Mara is.” After a beat, Catra noticed the past tense and frowned. “Where is she now?”

Adora’s jaw tightened as she looked down. “She... passed away a few years ago. Um. Car accident,” She said quietly. Catra’s face softened instantly, and Adora seemed to anticipate the sympathy on the tip of her tongue. “It’s okay,” She said. “Really. It’s— I don’t even think about it that often.”

It was a weak lie, but Catra didn’t want to push her. “Did Razz know her?”

Adora nodded. “I never really got the whole story, but I think they were neighbors, or roommates, or something like that. After Mara—” She swallowed. “After the accident, I hired Razz. She reminds me of her.” 

Her jaw had only tightened since they’d started the conversation, which meant it wasn’t something she wanted to talk more about. Catra put a hand on her arm, rubbing gently. “We don’t have to keep talking about it,” She said. “Do you wanna talk about something else?”

“Please,” Adora said, giving her an attempt at a smile. “Tell me about your family. You’re the oldest, right?”

Catra nodded. “Oldest of four, yeah. Lonnie and I are the older two, and the others are both way younger.” Adora turned a little in her seat, looking at her fully, and Catra took it as a sign to continue. “Um. Lonnie’s in her last year of college right now.”

“Oh, nice,” Adora said. “What’s she studying?”

“She’s switched around a few times.” Catra thought for a second. “Last time I checked, she was pre-law.” 

Adora’s eyebrows rose. “Holy shit. Well, if she ever wants an internship, just let me know.”

Catra stared at her for a moment. “You would do that for her?”

“Of course I would,” Adora said, frowning as though it were obvious. “She’s your sister. We’re—” She gestured between them. “You know.”

Catra raised her eyebrows, ready to ask what _exactly_ that meant, but the car rolled to a stop outside their hotel. 

“Oh, it looks like we’re here,” Adora said, more relieved than she had any reason to be. She unbuckled her seatbelt. “If you want to watch our bags, I’ll check us in.”

Catra remembered what they had talked about on the plane. _Wait until the end of the week_ , she reminded herself. _How hard can it be?_

She nodded, trying to keep her face neutral. “Only if you take my suitcase out of the backseat. I know for a fact it was over the 50-pound limit.”

Adora gave her a smile. “It’s a deal.” 

Judging by the expression on the concierge’s face as soon as Adora told her the name of their reservation, Catra knew their place would be posh. 

Even then, she wasn’t expecting it to be _this_ posh. 

She was used to Best Westerns and Holiday Inns. This reminded her more of the Ritz-Carlton.

Her eyebrows shot up as soon as she stepped into their room, taking in every part of the suite one by one. They had a central living room with a large, sleek-looking TV, and connected to it were — in no particular order — a master bedroom, a lofted dining area, and a full-size kitchen. 

“Holy fuck,” Catra said, blinking. “I— how can you afford this?”

“Perks of having a seven-figure salary,” Adora said, smiling. “Plus, the company paid for it. Come on. We can put on pajamas and cuddle in bed if you want.”

Their bedroom, as expected, was massive. The bed was no different, and Catra sunk into it blissfully when she laid down. “Damn,” She said, letting out a contented sigh. “I could get used to this.”

It was still raining steadily outside, and Catra could see it tapping gently against the windows of their room. In other words, it was _ideal_ cuddling weather.

“You think we can get Netflix on there?” Catra asked, nodding towards the TV on the wall. 

“Oh, of course.” Adora paused for a second, walking over to Catra with suddenly-dark eyes. She put a hand under her jaw. “I put in a request for a mirror, too. It’s on the back wall.”

Catra closed her eyes, nodding to herself as she tried not to let out an audible whine. “Cool,” She said weakly. “That’s—” She nodded again. “Nice.”

“I thought you’d like it,” Adora said, pressing a kiss to her forehead. “And… I mean, I’m sure you’re tired, but we have—” She checked her watch, “—about twelve hours before our dinner reservation.”

Catra hummed, biting her lip. “I wonder how we’ll _possibly_ entertain ourselves.” 

Adora was giving her The Look, which meant she was about two seconds from jumping Catra’s bones on the spot. An idea popped into her head. 

Since the start of their arrangement, Adora had developed something of a possessive streak. It wasn’t huge, and it was never persistent enough to make Catra uncomfortable, but it _was_ easy to exploit.

“You know, I like wearing your hoodie a lot,” Catra said, stretching back against the pillows. “I _love_ it, in fact. You said red was my color, right?” 

Reaching a hand down to the hem of the sweatshirt, she began to pull it gently up to expose her stomach.

Sure enough, Adora’s eyes locked on to the motion. “Yeah?” She asked, tracking the movements of Catra’s fingers. “How much do you like it?”

“Enough that I’m asking you to fuck me in it.” Catra raised a satisfied eyebrow, watching Adora struggle to keep her composure. “How’s that sound, baby?”

Adora let out a shaky breath. “Very good,” She said, nodding a few times. “Yeah. Um. Really, really good.”

Catra had won, and she knew it. “Then what are you waiting for?” She asked, propping herself up against the pillows. “Come here.”

Adora didn’t hesitate to obey the command, walking over until she was in front of Catra. “What do you want first?” She asked, leaning forward to kiss her. 

Catra wove her hands through Adora’s hair, tugging gently at it and running the blunted edges of her nails over her scalp as they kissed. 

“You’ve been wearing that packer all day,” She said, in between kisses. Adora moved on top of her, kissing a line down her jaw. Catra’s eyes closed. “This is the new one, right? With the rod?”

It was. It had been something of an impulse purchase for Adora years before — a stand-to-pee packer that had an erection rod — but it was serving them both well now.

Adora nodded against her, grinding her hips down gently as she kissed her way down Catra’s neck. “Want me to get it?” She asked, voice rumbling in her chest. 

Catra nodded faintly as Adora’s hand slid up past the hem of her hoodie, rolling her nipple gently between her thumb and forefinger. “In a second,” She said, gasping as Adora twisted it gently. “Fuck.”

Adora scooted down her body until her face was level with Catra’s stomach. She pressed a kiss there, hand lingering just above Catra’s ribs. “Can I suck your—”

“Please,” Catra interrupted, nodding furiously. “God, yes.”

Adora nodded, pushing the edge of Catra’s hoodie up until her chest was exposed. She let out a small, contented sigh when she saw her tits, giving them an almost loving smile. “God, I love your boobs,” Adora said fondly, reaching behind Catra to take her bra off. “Fuck.”

Catra rolled her eyes, trying to fight back a blush at the attention. “You’re so weird.”

“You like me anyway,” Adora said, raising an eyebrow. Before Catra could respond, she leaned down, wrapped her lips gently around one of her nipples, and began to suck lightly at it. 

Catra’s reaction was instantaneous. 

Her nipples had always been sensitive. At the first flick of Adora’s tongue on them her back arched up off the pillows with a gasp. She fisted a hand hard in Adora’s hair, keeping her in place as her eyes fluttered closed. 

Adora spent a few minutes sucking gently on one of Catra’s breasts before moving to the other, switching her hand to the other one. Her teeth grazed lightly over the hardening bud, and Catra had to clap a hand over her mouth to keep from moaning.

Adora’s other hand traveled down her stomach until her fingers were resting gently under the waistband of her joggers, and Catra looked down at her to see her eyebrows raised in a silent question. 

Catra nodded furiously, pushing Adora’s hand down, and felt the first press of her fingers against her clit a moment later. “Fuck,” She whined, bucking her hips to meet Adora’s hand again. “M—more.”

Adora nodded, sucking harder on the stiff bud in her mouth, and applied more pressure to Catra’s clit before moving her fingers in steady circles. Catra was already dripping wet. She wouldn’t last long.

Catra tugged gently at Adora’s hair, pulling her up for a messy, needy kiss as Adora’s fingers sped up their movements. Catra broke the kiss with a harsh whimper, hands still fisted in Adora’s hair, and rested their foreheads together for a moment. 

“What do you need, baby?” Adora asked. 

Catra bit her lip to keep from whining at the raspy tone of her voice. “I want your cock.”

Adora nodded. She slowed down her fingers, keeping the circles around Catra’s clit steady. “You want me to fuck you like this?”

Catra thought for a moment, then shook her head. She fisted a hand in Adora’s hoodie and pulled her in for another kiss. “I wanna ride you.”

All the breath left Adora’s lungs, and she had to fight to keep herself from letting out a groan at the idea. “Fuck. You—you do?”

“God, yeah.” Catra’s voice came out raspier than usual, and with every rub to her clit she let out a quiet, panting breath. “P—please, daddy.”

Adora nodded, pressing a quick, firm kiss to her lips before standing up. “Let me put the rod in, okay?” She drew her fingers back, earning a needy whine from Catra, and ran over to her backpack to rummage through it.

Catra swallowed, leaning back against the pillows for a moment in an attempt to catch her breath. 

She watched Adora pull her pants down awkwardly, almost falling over in her haste to get them off, and had to stifle a laugh. 

Adora looked up at her with a smile already on her face. “Don’t look at me,” She joked, kicking them off. 

Finally she got the rod in her hand, and spent a few moments sliding it gently into the packer sitting in her boxers. 

Adora turned back to her with a proud look on her face. “Sorry about the wait, sweetheart,” She said, making her way back onto the bed. “Are you ready?”

Catra nodded, pulling Adora down. “Lie down, baby.” Adora did, swallowing gently as she settled herself back against the pillows. 

“Wait,” Adora said, sitting upright suddenly. “Shit. I should probably grab the lube, huh?”

Catra thought for a moment, then pushed her slowly back down against the pillows. “No,” She said. “I have a better idea.”

Another thing Adora learned about Catra in the course of their time together was how much she liked putting on a show. It was no different this time. Catra swung her hips over Adora’s legs, having discarded her pants and underwear. 

She ran a few fingers through her folds, gasping at the feeling, in order to collect some of her wetness on her fingers. Then, with her slick shining on her hand, she reached forward and began to cover Adora’s cock in it. 

Catra pumped her hand slowly, taking her time, and watched Adora’s eyes darken visibly. Her hands fisted hard in the sheets as she swallowed hard, watching Catra’s hand twist up and down her shaft. 

“Fuck,” Adora breathed, jaw tightening. 

“What is it, baby?” Catra asked, raising an innocent eyebrow. She gave Adora a particularly firm pump, pressing the base of the toy against her for a moment just to watch her gasp. 

“Y—you’re teasing me.”

Catra grinned. “What took you so long to notice?”

Adora’s voice dropped as she leaned forward, wrapping a gentle hand around Catra’s throat. “Well, if you want to cum today, I would hurry up.”

Catra swallowed, nodding. Something about Adora’s hands on her never failed to put her back in her place. “Y—yes, sir.”

She brought herself up on her knees and swallowed hard. Positioning Adora’s tip at her entrance, Catra began to slide her cock inside her. As soon as the head made its way inside, Catra’s eyes rolled back in her head, letting out a ragged gasp. 

She had realized early on that she liked the feeling of Adora stretching her, and this was no different. Catra went slowly, taking Adora’s cock inch by inch, until she finally sank down against the base of it. 

One of Adora’s hands settled on her hips as she went. Her hand was squeezing almost tight enough to bruise. Catra opened her eyes to see her staring intently, watching Catra move with wide, dark eyes. 

With slow, deliberate motions, Catra began to roll her hips. Her mouth tipped open as she did, feeling a delicious, burning sense of fullness with Adora inside her. 

Adora’s reaction was immediate. Her mouth fell open, half in wonder and half in pleasure from the saddle that sat at the base of the packer, and she let out a sharp, shaky exhale. “God, Catra. Fuck.”

Catra rolled her hips again, settling quickly into a smooth rhythm. “Like what you see, daddy?”

Adora didn’t answer. Instead, she adjusted herself, moving so she was sitting more upright than she had been a moment before, and drew the hem of Catra’s hoodie up. 

Catra’s expression flickered, frowning lightly as she fucked herself on Adora’s cock. “What are you—”

Adora brought the edge of the hoodie up until it exposed her breasts again, and leaned forward to put her mouth on one. 

As much as Adora loved playing with her nipples, she knew how much Catra enjoyed marks. She had explained at the start of their arrangement that they made her feel like Adora was claiming her territory in the best way possible. 

When Adora brought her mouth down, it was on the soft skin just under her nipple. She sucked it firmly into her mouth, intent on leaving a hickey there, and felt Catra’s hand fist in her hair again.

That was a sign to continue. Adora closed her eyes, relishing in the feeling of the soft, sensitive skin in her mouth, and felt Catra’s hand tighten. 

Her _other_ hand was occupied. Adora looked down to see her rubbing her clit furiously as she rolled her hips. The expression on her face was tight, as if she was concentrating on something. 

Adora decided to help her out. She released Catra’s tit with a small _pop_ , feeling a small glow of pride at the marks already darkening there. “What do you need, baby?”

“M—more. Harder,” Catra whined, eyes closed. 

Adora had never been able to deny her, and didn’t plan to start now. Wrapping a strong, sure arm around Catra’s waist, she jerked her hips up into Catra, watching her body shake with the force of it. 

Catra let out a loud whimper, gasping for breath. She put a hand on Adora’s chest, fisting it in the fabric of her hoodie. “Again,” She begged. “Please.”

Adora did, rolling her hips as she fucked up into Catra. She was suddenly _very_ grateful that she’d incorporated hip thrusts into her workout routine. They were serving her well here.

Catra was letting out a litany of whines, whimpers, and moans that told Adora she was getting close. 

Adora moved to suck at Catra’s other boob, but she was stopped by the hand on her chest. Instead of letting Adora give her more hickies, she used the hand in Adora’s hair to pull her head back, exposing her neck. 

Catra leaned down, biting hard into the junction of Adora’s neck and shoulders, and felt Adora’s hand tighten at her back as she let out a surprised moan. Her hips snapped up into Catra out of reflex, earning a breathy gasp.

“F—fuck, Cat,” Adora said, shaky from the pleasure and the exertion. “What are you—”

Catra answered by sucking a mark into her neck, up by where it met her jaw, and Adora couldn’t help how hard her next thrust was. 

Again, Catra let out a breathy, keening whine at the feeling. “Like that,” She said, nodding furiously. “Please. Need it.”

Adora nodded and took a deep breath to help ground herself. Catra was still rubbing her clit, though her movements were growing more and more erratic by the second.

She knew what Catra needed to cum. 

“Turn around,” Adora grunted, shifting herself up. 

Catra did, staying upright on her knees, and Adora positioned herself behind her so they were in the same half-kneeling position. 

The mirror sat on the wall in front of them, and Catra let out an embarrassingly loud moan when she saw just how wrecked she looked.

She could see her slick dripping down the inside of her thighs, for one. Adora’s cock was still inside her, too, and Catra watched it move in and out of her. 

Her hair was a mess, her lips were swollen and parted, and there were bruises darkening all up and down her chest.

Adora wrapped one hand around Catra’s stomach and the other around her throat, and Catra had to bite back a whine at how big they looked on her body. 

Catra’s hand flew backwards, grabbing haphazardly for Adora, and found purchase on the back of her neck. “Fuck,” She breathed. “Fuck. P—please.”

“Keep rubbing your clit,” Adora said lowly, feeling Catra let out a gasp as she started fucking into her in earnest. “I want you to see what I see, princess.”

Catra swallowed, feeling her throat bob against Adora’s hand. “What—what do you see?” 

Adora’s hand tightened around her throat as she fucked into her, snapping her hips and hitting the same perfect, deep spot inside Catra. “A desperate, _pathetic_ little slut.”

That was all Catra needed.

Her eyes rolled back in her head as she clenched hard around Adora’s cock, letting herself sag back against Adora’s strong, solid body. She let out a constant stream of shaky, needy gasps as Adora fucked her gently through the orgasm.

Adora released her hold on Catra’s throat as she came, but left her hand there to give her the pressure she wanted. “Easy, honey,” She murmured. “I’m right here.”

The degradation had been something Catra had talked to her about more recently. Adora had taken a while to get on board with it — she didn’t want to make Catra legitimately upset, after all — but once she’d gotten used to it, it had quickly become one of their favorite things.

Adora was always careful not to say anything that hit _too_ close to home. At the end of the day, Catra’s comfort was all that mattered to her. But calling her needy, desperate, or a slut — or some combination — was easy enough. 

Now, Adora held her close, sliding herself gently out of Catra’s pussy. Catra shuddered at the loss, her nails digging lightly into the back of Adora’s neck. “F—fuck.”

“It’s okay,” Adora said, trying to be soothing. “I’m right here.”

Catra nodded jerkily, trying to take in a deep breath. She took in one, then another, with heaving breaths. Adora only realized she was crying when she let out a quiet, shuddering sob. 

“Oh my God,” She said, eyes wide. She moved to face Catra with a look of concern. “I— baby, talk to me. What’s going on?”

“S—sorry,” Catra said wetly, wiping away a tear. “I-I don’t— I don’t know why—”

“It’s okay.” Adora put a gentle hand on her cheek, pressing a kiss to her lips, her nose, and her forehead. “I’m right here.”

Catra grabbed at Adora’s hoodie, pulling her closer. “Can—can you hold me?”

“Of course I can,” Adora said without hesitation. “Come here, baby. Lie down with me.” Catra did, fisting her hands in the fabric of Adora’s hoodie and wiping away a tear with her sleeve. 

Adora pulled the blanket up around them and wrapped her arms around Catra, holding her in a warm, comforting embrace. “Is this a bad cry or a good cry?”

Catra tried to speak, but had a hard time getting the words out. Adora seemed to understand. “That’s okay,” She said, rubbing gently at Catra’s back. “One tap for bad, two for good?”

A beat. Then, the hand resting on Adora’s chest tapped twice, thumping lightly against her. Adora nodded. 

“Okay. Well, I’m glad it’s not bad,” She said, pressing a kiss to the top of Catra’s head. “I’m right here. This happens sometimes, baby. It’s okay. I’m not going anywhere, and we have plenty of time.”

Catra nodded against her, throwing a leg over her hips to be closer. “‘M sorry,” She mumbled into Adora’s neck. “I-I don’t know what happened.”

“It’s okay, sweetheart,” Adora said, and meant it. “Do you wanna talk about it?”

After a moment, Catra nodded. “I think I just got… overwhelmed,” She said, wiping away a stray tear with the heel of her hand. “But it—it’s not because I didn’t like what you did. I-I do, I just—”

Adora put a hand on the side of her face, and it seemed to calm her down instantly. “I know, Catra. It’s okay. You don’t have anything to prove to me.”

Catra nodded, laying her head back down in the crook of Adora’s neck. “Okay. Thank you.”

“You don’t have to thank me,” Adora said, pressing another kiss to the top of her head. “How would you feel about a few episodes of Bake Off to cool down?”

Catra smiled against her, leaning back to kiss Adora gently. “Only if it’s a series with Mel and Sue.”

“Oh, I agree,” Adora said, grinning. “They’re the best part.”

She reached over to grab the remote, then adjusted the pillows behind them so they could face the TV on the wall more comfortably. 

Catra rested her head on her chest, feeling Adora’s arm behind her scratching gently at her back. The rain hadn’t stopped, and was tapping gently at the windows. Between the steady comfort of the rain and the arm at her back, Catra thought she could live in the moment forever.

“This is perfect,” She said quietly. “Thank you for making it happen.”

Adora was trying to navigate the apps on the TV, and turned to look at her with a shy smile on her face. “I couldn’t have done it without you,” She said softly, leaning down to kiss Catra. 

For some reason, the next three words on the tip of Catra’s tongue were _I love you_. 

She had her mouth already open to say them before she came back to reality, and closed her mouth with an almost audible _click_. 

Adora made a small noise of triumph as she finally found the show, and looked over at her. “You ready?”

Catra blinked. “Y—yeah.”

“You okay? You look a little spooked.”

 _Probably just post-orgasm bullshit_ , Catra thought. She did her best to convince herself that that was all it was, and that there was no other possible reason she’d had the thought. 

It only half-worked.

She wrangled a smile onto her face and nodded. “Yep. All good.”

*** * ***

Of all the times to accidentally realize she might be in love with her sugar daddy, Catra had picked the worst possible one.

It wasn’t all bad, though. 

For someone whose meals largely consisted of protein bars and meal replacement smoothies, Adora had something of a soft spot for absurdly expensive food. The restaurant Adora took them to was a famous one with a line out the door. 

Once again, they were seated at the best table in the house. Catra was starting to see a trend. 

It was delicious, of course. 

Catra had gotten more accustomed to ordering expensive food since they’d started seeing each other, which meant she was finally letting herself enjoy it rather than spending the whole meal worried about the cost.

Tonight, she ordered something with a French name she made no attempt to pronounce and figured it would suit her just fine. 

Adora ordered them a bottle of champagne, too. Catra had rolled her eyes, telling her not to spend the money, but Adora had insisted. 

_How many times have I been wrong about expensive things?_ She had asked. Unfortunately, Catra found it hard to argue with that. 

When their glasses came, filled to the brim with sparkling wine, Adora raised it towards her. “To your first international trip,” She said, giving Catra a shy smile. “I hope it’s the first of many.”

Catra couldn’t help but smile in return, lifting her glass up to meet Adora’s. “I hope so too.” The glasses _clinked_ gently as the two tapped them together. 

When Catra sipped her champagne, she expected something similar to Costco prosecco. It wasn’t a bad thing — she thoroughly enjoyed Kirkland-brand everything — but she wasn’t looking for much in terms of smoothness.

Apparently, the first French monk to make it thought he was tasting the stars. Privately, Catra figured he was just drunk already, and didn’t realize how _bad_ it was.

But this was different. It was an elaborate, elegant-looking bottle with French writing on the label. More importantly, it was probably one of the best things Catra had ever tasted.

Her eyebrows shot up practically into her hairline. “Whoa. This is—” She took another sip, closing her eyes. “Fuck.”

“That’s why I ordered it,” Adora said, her lips curling into a smug, satisfied smirk. “I told you it would be good.”

Catra rolled her eyes. “Whatever. Just because you were right about _one_ thing—”

“One? That’s all I get, huh?” Adora asked, raising a playful eyebrow. “Are you measuring by days, or by the hour, or..?”

“I’m evaluating the situation on a case by case basis,” Catra said in a lofty, haughty voice. She broke into a grin as Adora laughed, leaning back in her seat. 

Adora opened her mouth to speak, then snapped it shut with a suddenly-pale face. Catra frowned. “What is it?”

“Nothing,” Adora said, trying to smile. “Um. Remind me to tell you later.”

Catra frowned, but didn’t want to push her. “Sure, babe.”

Adora nodded, downing the rest of her glass of champagne before reaching for the bottle again. “Anyway,” She said, clearing her throat. “You know how the conference starts in a few days?”

Catra nodded, feeling herself deflate at the thought. Adora would be busy, and Catra would have to actually work on assignments for her next class. She still had final projects to grade. 

“Well,” Adora continued, “every year, it ends with a big, catered party. I was thinking… maybe we could go together?”

There was a soft, almost shy tone to her voice that surprised Catra. “Adora, were you nervous to ask me to go to an event?” She asked, unable to stop from smiling. Given that they had had sex less than twelve hours before, it felt... a little out of place. “Why?”

One of Adora’s hands was on the table, and she began to fiddle with her ring. “It’s—” She sighed. “I’m asking because…” She paused for a second. “My dad is gonna be there. I’d rather you were with me when I talked to him. I just… I didn’t want to spring it on you.”

Catra blinked. “Oh.”

“You—you can say no,” Adora said quickly, raising her eyebrows. “I-I would understand.”

Suddenly, Adora’s nervousness made a _lot_ more sense. 

Catra didn’t know much about her parents, but if the only time Adora saw her father was at a company conference, she could fill in the blanks. She reached over the table to put a hand on top of Adora’s. 

“Do you want me there?” Catra asked, raising her eyebrows.

Adora nodded, swallowing. “Yes,” She said. Her voice came out hoarse.

“Then of course I’ll go.” Adora gave her a grateful smile, pressing a kiss to her knuckles. To ease the tension of the situation a little more, Catra decided to make a joke. “Ha, ha. You want me to meet your dad. Do you like me or something?”

Adora rolled her eyes, unable to keep from smiling. “Of course I like you,” She said. For a second, it looked like there was more she wanted to say. But the moment passed, and instead, she cleared her throat. 

“We— I know a tailor in the city,” She said. “We can have him take your measurements tomorrow.”

Catra nodded. She knew how much Adora liked to spoil her, and had left half her suitcase empty in anticipation. “You wanna buy me a new dress, baby? Very _Pretty Woman_ of you.”

“Speaking of _Pretty_ _Woman_ , that reminds me,” Adora said, reaching into her coat pocket, “I have something for you.”

Catra’s eyes tracked the movement of her hand as she pulled out a black velvet box. It was far too large to be a ring, and was a flat rectangle about the size of Catra’s hand. 

Adora opened it slowly to reveal a beautiful, glittering silver necklace. The sight of it took Catra’s breath away.

That wasn’t all, though. 

Right at the center, with a small, shimmering diamond right in the center, was the letter _A_. 

Catra stared at the pendant, at the gentle curve and the glittering stone in its center. “Adora, I—” Her voice died in her throat, and she shook her head. “Holy fuck.”

“Is it okay?” Adora asked tentatively. “I-I know you’re not really one for jewelry, but I thought you might make an exception here.”

Catra nodded wordlessly, reaching for it. “God. It’s—it’s beautiful,” She said, running her fingers gently over it. “I don’t know if I can accept this.”

“Of course you can,” Adora said, smiling. “It’s a gift, baby. And… I dunno. I thought you’d like it.”

“I fucking _love_ it,” Catra said, staring at the _A_ with wide eyes. “I love it.”

“Can I put it on you?”

Catra nodded. There weren’t many people in this corner of the restaurant, so no one would bat an eye if she stood. She did, turning and moving her hair to the front as Adora walked up behind her. 

Carefully, with deliberate motions and nimble fingers, Adora clasped the necklace into place around her neck. Catra felt the pendant resting against the hollow of her throat and swallowed. 

“Thank you,” She said, turning around to rest a hand on Adora’s chest. She smiled softly, letting her fingers trail gently over the smooth silk of Adora’s shirt. “If I forget to tell you later, I had a really good night.” 

Adora smiled, intertwining their fingers together. “That makes two of us.” She pressed a kiss to Catra’s forehead. “Come on. Sit with me.”

They ended up finishing the bottle of champagne and taking another home, so by the time the two of them left the restaurant Catra was feeling a light, pleasant buzz. 

Rather than having dessert at the restaurant, they opted for a cart of street food a block from their hotel. 

Catra had never had a crepe, as it turned out, which was something that absolutely would not stand. 

“Do they not have French food in LA?” Adora asked, moving to stand in line in front of the cart. “I mean, seriously.”

Catra shrugged. “I dunno. I grew up in Santa Barbara.”

“Yeah.” Adora blinked. “LA.”

Catra stared at her for a second. “Okay, now that you live in California, you have to get better at recognizing the regions. Santa Barbara is, like, a hundred miles away.”

Adora tried to hide a smile, keeping her face carefully neutral. “So where’s the Bay?”

“You—” Catra saw Adora’s lips twitch, unable to hide her grin any longer. “You’re such a dick,” Catra said, giving her a playful shove. “Just for that, I’m never bringing you to Santa Barbara.”

“Well, yeah. You don’t have a car.”

“Okay, you know what I mean.” Catra’s smile flickered. “Would you ever want to go with me? I could show you all the best places.”

“Of course I would,” Adora said, as if it was obvious. “I want to go everywhere with you.”

Catra was spared from having to respond by the vendor asking what she wanted. The first non-chocolate thing on the menu had lemon in it, so she ordered it without thinking twice.

Adora nodded, mildly surprised. “Interesting. Most people go for Nutella.”

“I don’t really like chocolate,” Catra said, shrugging. “The lemon and sugar sounded good.”

Catra watched the man make her crepe with increasing enthusiasm, getting more and more invested up until the moment he handed her the plate. 

The evening had turned cold quickly, so Catra was wearing Adora’s thick, wool coat to keep her warm. Adora watched Catra take the first bite with a small smile, watching how wide her eyes went at the taste of it. 

“How is it?” Adora asked, smiling softly. 

“Fucking _amazing_ ,” Catra said, swallowing her mouthful of food. “You want a bite?”

The warm glow of the streetlights reflected in her eyes, and Adora knew without a doubt that Catra was the most beautiful woman she’d ever seen.

Her smile widened. “Nah. You should have the whole thing.”

They walked back to the hotel hand in hand, talking lightly about everything under the sun, until they reached the door to their room. 

Adora opened the door for them and waved Catra in. “Ladies first,” She said, gesturing. 

“Such a gentleman,” Catra said, grinning. “What do you want to do tomorrow?”

Adora let the door close behind her, shrugging her jacket off her shoulders. “That is a _wonderful_ question. The weather says it’s going to rain again, so we can spend it in bed—” She snapped her fingers, turning to Catra. “Actually, we do need to run by that tailor I told you about, but that’s pretty much it.”

Catra nodded, hanging Adora’s coat up on the rack by the door. They made their way back to their room, with Adora loosening her tie and Catra fumbling with the zipper on her dress. “Can you—”

“Of course,” Adora said, walking over. She moved Catra’s hair off her shoulder, pressing a light kiss to the back of her neck as she unzipped the dress. “There you go.”

“My knight in shining armor.” Catra stepped out of her heels, shrugging the dress off her shoulders. “How would you feel about one more episode of Bake-Off before we go to bed?”

Adora smiled. “That sounds perfect, babe. I love y—” She swallowed, letting out an awkward cough. “I would, um. L—love that. I would love that.”

If Catra heard the slip, she didn’t comment on it. “Cool. Me too.” Whistling under her breath, she shrugged on Adora’s hoodie and flopped down on their bed. She raised her eyebrows at Adora, who was still standing frozen at the foot of the bed. “What’s going on?”

Adora blinked. “Nothing.” 

There was _definitely_ something going on, but it wasn’t the right time to talk about it. Even if it was, Adora barely thought it was worth bringing up in the first place. 

It was a terrible, terrible realization, but she was increasingly sure she was in love with Catra. There was a warm kind of comfort that she felt being around her, and talking with her was always the best part of her day. 

It wasn’t the first time the words had slipped out, but Adora was starting to worry she wouldn’t be able to keep them locked up inside her the next time it happened.

Even if Catra did want to date her, there was no way she would feel the same. They were partners in a mutually beneficial arrangement, and that was all. Adora didn’t want to make things complicated.

“Are you sure there’s nothing going on?” Catra asked, frowning in concern.

“Yeah.” Adora wrestled a smile onto her face. “Let me just brush my teeth. I’ll be right there.”

She took a moment in the bathroom to breathe, drank a glass of water, and felt better by the time her binder was off.

Bake-Off always felt like coming home, and yet still Adora’s biggest source of comfort was Catra’s hand scratching gently at her shirt. 

Every so often, Catra would mumble something about a contestant’s flavor combination, but between the light yawns during Paul Hollywood’s critiques and the increasing heaviness of her head on Adora’s arm, they both knew she wouldn’t last long.

She was asleep before the episode ended. Adora made sure to pause it, saving it for later, before pressing a kiss to her forehead.

Her feelings toward Catra were... complicated. 

On one hand, Catra was everything she had ever wanted. She was smart, witty, and sharper than a chef’s knife, and on top of it she was absolutely gorgeous. 

But Adora was very, _very_ aware that Catra had her whole life in front of her. She would graduate, get a job with NASA or JPL, and spend her days doing _absurdly_ technical research that Adora could barely understand. 

Adora didn’t want to stop her if she met a partner along the way.

She knew Catra enjoyed being around her — that much was clear from their interactions — but she didn’t know how much. More than that, Adora wouldn’t let herself take up space in Catra’s life that was meant for someone else.

She tried to push it from her mind. For now, they were together, and that was enough. They would talk about it when they landed in Los Angeles.

Adora pressed a kiss to the top of Catra’s head, turning off the light.

*** * ***

The tailor’s shop was a small, neat-looking building tucked in between a vintage bookstore and a coffee shop. 

Normally, Catra preferred buying from smaller, less hipster-y places, but from what Adora had told her this tailor came highly recommended. She was willing to take a chance. Adora held the door open for the two of them as they walked inside, and a small bell rang overhead. 

The shop was cluttered in an almost artful way. Roll after roll of expensive-looking fabric jutted out from cubbies along the side wall, and a tall, ornate mirror rested against the exposed brick against the back. 

There were bean bag chairs and a small couch on the other side of the shop where someone was sitting. He was an older man with a neatly trimmed salt-and-pepper beard. There was something about him was absurdly familiar, and a voice inside Catra’s head told her she’d seen him before.

“Adora!” The man said, standing with a grin. “It’s been a while. It’s good to see you.” Again, Catra had that eerie, familiar feeling. “How’s my daughter doing?”

Catra couldn’t help but raise her eyebrows at the question. 

She was in the middle of opening her mouth to ask Adora what exactly the question meant when Adora answered. 

“Glimmer’s great, Micah,” She said, giving Catra a meaningful look. Catra’s mouth closed instantly. “I talked to her a few days ago. She and Bow just found a new place in San Francisco. Apparently, she negotiated with the landlord over rent until she got it down to half price.”

Catra made the connection between him and Glimmer as Micah let out a laugh. 

She remembered hearing Glimmer talk about her dad moving back to England after her mother, Angella, passed away. According to Glimmer, it was because he wanted to be closer to her family. 

Approximately two seconds later, she realized that that was probably why Adora knew where to find him.

“That’s my girl,” Micah said, shaking his head. He turned to Catra with a warm smile. “You must be Catra, right? Adora’s told me all about you. Tell me, is it true that—”

“Oh, well, we don’t need to get into the specifics,” Adora interrupted. The tips of her ears were bright red.

Catra raised an eyebrow. “I am Catra, yeah,” She said, shaking the hand he offered. “It’s good to meet you. Glimmer’s told me a lot of stories about you.”

Micah smiled. “She’s told me plenty about the two of you, too. When you guys graduated, I always worried I’d never get to meet her roommate, but here you are.” He paused for a moment, seeming to remember why they were there in the first place. 

“Well, enough reminiscing,” He said, clapping his hands and pointing to Catra. “You need a dress.” 

“I do.”

Micah nodded. “My assistant is next door grabbing coffee right now, but she’s going to take your measurements. Then we can talk about fabric.”

“How much do you charge for custom pieces?” Adora asked, already reaching for her checkbook.

Micah held up a hand. “Put that away,” He said, shaking his head. “You know you’re family.”

Adora’s hand stopped in midair. “Micah, I’m not letting you make this for free.” Her eyes narrowed. “I’ll pay seventy-five percent of full price.”

Micah shook his head. “Twenty-five percent.”

Adora crossed her arms over her chest. “Half price. Take it or leave it.”

With a sigh, Micah let out a chuckle. “You’re hard to spoil, you know that?”

“Oh, I’m with you there. She’s insufferable,” Catra chimed in.

“It’s part of my charm.” Adora gave Catra a wink. 

The bell above the door rang again, tinkling lightly, and Catra turned to see a strong-looking woman with close-cropped hair. She had ornate, dangly earrings on and two cups of coffee in her hands. 

“Oh!” She said, eyes widening. She hustled over, handing Micah one of the two cups, and said, “You must be Catra. I’m Scorpia,” She said, giving her a lopsided grin. “It’s great to meet you.” 

Catra wasn’t expecting to hear a Midwestern accent in the middle of London, but she supposed it was just another surprise the day held in store. 

She was already meeting her college roommate’s dad next to her sugar daddy. How much weirder could things get?

“Oh, um. Yeah, you too,” Catra said, shaking her hand. Her grip was a mix of strong and nimble that reminded Catra vaguely of Adora. “Are you Micah’s assistant?”

“Sure am.” Scorpia gave her an even wider grin. “He ran me through the whole process earlier. I’m gonna take care of you while these two catch up.” She took a sip of her coffee — though, given her energy, Catra wasn’t sure what she needed it for — and let out a sigh. “Gosh, you’re _so_ pretty. I mean, like, _wow_.”

Beside her, Adora cleared her throat lightly. Catra looked over at her to see her jaw twitch, and felt a protective arm curl around her waist a moment later. 

Catra barely had time to open her mouth to say thank you before Scorpia was talking again. 

“Alright, if you wanna step with me into the dressing room, I’ll start taking your measurements. Just to let you know, it can get, uh.. a little _personal,_ ” Scorpia said, turning before she noticed Adora’s eyes narrow, “so just let me know if anything bothers you.”

“Okay,” Catra said, nodding. Adora’s hand was starting to tighten around her waist, and it didn’t take much more than a quick glance at her to know something was going through her head. “You okay?” She asked quietly, giving her a concerned look.

Adora swallowed, trying to tame her face into a more neutral expression, and nodded. “Yeah. I’ll be right here, babe. Go get your measurements taken.”

Catra frowned lightly, but it was on and off her face in an instant. She trusted Adora enough to know that she would tell her if there was something wrong. She followed Scorpia into a little room at the back of the shop. 

Getting her measurements taken by a professional was, at once, much easier and much, _much_ more awkward than doing it herself. Scorpia was efficient, though, and only paused to write down the numbers.

The two of them made pleasant, idle conversation. Scorpia had originally been a celebrity personal trainer and still loved fitness, which explained how muscular she was, but had found — as she put it — a _passion for fashion_ after meeting Perfuma, her girlfriend of nearly six years.

The whole thing couldn’t have lasted longer than ten minutes, and Catra walked out to see Adora sitting next to Micah with a rigid, upright posture. She shot to her feet as soon as Catra walked back into the room.

“You’re back,” She said, swallowing. “How—how was it?”

A flash of confusion passed over Catra’s face. “Uh, fine,” She said. “Not much to report. Scorpia took my measurements.”

“I sure did,” Scorpia said, giving her a wink. Adora’s hands tightened into fists by her sides. “Micah, did you want me to start working on the design we talked about?” 

At Micah’s nod, Scorpia gave him a thumbs-up. “Alright. Well, it was great meeting you guys,” Scorpia said, giving them a wave. “Don’t be strangers, okay?”

Micah looked like he was about to say something, but was preempted by his phone ringing. “Oh, yikes,” He said, holding it up with a frown. “I have to take this. I’ll be right back, okay? Then we’ll talk fabric.”

He stepped outside, letting the door close behind him, and just like that they were alone in the shop.

Catra didn’t need a sixth sense to know there was something going on with Adora. “Talk to me, babe,” She said, walking over to take Adora’s hands in her own. “What’s going on?”

“Nothing,” Adora grumbled, glaring daggers at the curtain to the dressing room.

Catra rolled her eyes. “Adora, look at me.” After a moment, she did. Catra put a hand on her jaw, leaning up for a kiss. “You’re it for me,” She said, pulling away. “You have nothing to worry about.”

Adora nodded, jerking her head up and down. “I just don’t like the way she looked at you.”

“Babe, I’m hot as hell,” Catra said, raising an eyebrow. “It happens. But you don’t have anything to worry about.” She squeezed Adora’s hand to hammer in her point. “All she did was take my measurements. _And_ she made a point of telling me about her girlfriend of six years.”

Adora looked marginally more relaxed after hearing it, and took a deep breath. “I know. I-I’m sorry. I don’t mean to get possessive.”

Catra looked around for a second. Scorpia was out of earshot, and Micah was still outside. “Honestly,” She said, letting her hand rub at Adora’s chest, “I think it’s hot. You wanna show me who I belong to, daddy?”

Adora swallowed, eyes darkening. “Maybe,” She said, clearing her throat. “I mean, obviously you _don’t_ belong to me, and I would never get in the way of your happiness, but—”

Catra rolled her eyes. “Jesus, baby, I know that. It’s just a hot scenario. Live a little.” She let her fingers trail lightly down Adora’s chest, tugging at her belt. “I can see how bad you want to.”

Adora swallowed, eyes flicking down to Catra’s hand. “Right now?”

Catra bit her lip, shrugging. “Why not?” She raised an eyebrow. “You’ve been packing all morning. Why don’t you put me in my place?”

The bells above the door jingled as Micah reentered, and the two of them sprang apart. “Sorry about that,” Micah said. “Now. Where were we? Fabric, right?”

Adora recovered first, and nodded. “Um. Yeah,” She said. 

Micah nodded. “Right. Any preferences before we get into it?”

“Something black,” Catra said, looking over at Adora with dark eyes. “Black and red.”

Adora stared at her for a second, eyes raking almost greedily down her chest. “You know what, Micah?” She said, not taking her eyes off Catra. “I just remembered. We have an appointment downtown.” She looked over to him. “Surprise us.” 

He blinked, looking between them. “Oh,” Micah said, nodding. “Okay. No worries. Are you sure you’re okay with me choosing for you?”

“Definitely,” Catra nodded. “Yep. I— you’re the expert, right?”

Micah shrugged. “Alright. I should have a design for you later today.” 

“Perfect. Well, it was good to see you, Micah.” Something occurred to Adora, and she bit her lip. “Actually, can I use your bathroom before we go?”

After Adora came back, they made a hasty goodbye. 

Adora’s hand rested big and protective on the back of her neck, and Catra was suddenly very, very grateful for how close their hotel was. Considering how weak her knees were already, she didn’t think she would’ve been able to make it much farther than the ten-minute walk. 

As soon as they were back inside their room, Catra began to speed-walk toward their bedroom, already desperate to see what was coming next. 

Adora stopped her with two words. “Catra, wait.”

Catra did, turning back to her. “What is it?”

“You wanted me to put you in your place, right?” Adora wasn’t looking at her as she spoke, and Catra followed her gaze to see her staring at the floor-length windows that made up the wall. She could see their balcony just beyond it. 

“Yeah,” Catra said, only slightly confused. Adora began to walk over to the windows, stopping in front of them. “Why?”

“Before we start, I just want to check in,” Adora said. “Do you remember your safeword?”

Catra frowned. “Of course I do. It’s pineapple.”

Adora nodded. “If anything I do is too much, I want you to use it. We’ll stop immediately.”

“Baby, of course I will. I trust you,” Catra said. “And I want this.”

“Good,” Adora said, nodding in relief. “Take off your clothes and come over.”

Catra swallowed at the low, unyielding tone Adora’s voice took on. “Right here?” Catra asked, looking around their living room.

Adora nodded. “Right here. Are you going to make me say it twice?”

Catra’s mouth was suddenly very, very dry. She shook her head, kicking her shoes off. 

Less than a minute later, when her clothes were in a heap on the floor of their living room, she reached up to unclasp her necklace. Adora stopped her, walking over to run her fingers lightly over the diamond. 

“No,” She said, shaking her head. “That stays on.”

Catra had to fight not to squeeze her legs together. “Y—yes, sir.”

Adora nodded, satisfied. She began to circle Catra, as if inspecting her. “You’re wet already?” She asked, eyes lingering hungrily on the wetness between Catra’s thighs.

“Can you blame me?”

Adora’s eyes flicked up. “Drop the attitude.”

Catra raised an eyebrow as an idea popped into her head. 

On one hand, this was a dangerous game. She didn’t want to push Adora too far, especially if she wasn’t in the right headspace to deal with it. On the other, Catra had been dying for _months_ now to see exactly how rough she could be. 

_Fuck it_ , she thought. She met Adora’s eyes with a defiant, cocky smirk. “Make me.”

Adora had been tense for nearly an hour now, like a coiled spring getting tighter and tighter by the second. 

At the words, she finally snapped.

Her hand wrapped hard around Catra’s throat. “On your knees,” She said. Her voice came out in a low, almost threatening growl that went straight to Catra’s pussy. 

Catra obeyed instantly, dropping to her knees in front of Adora. 

“And here I was thinking you couldn’t follow directions,” Adora said, unclasping her belt. She coiled it neatly, dropping it on the couch. “You know what happens to disobedient brats?”

Catra swallowed hard at the words. Her eyes locked on the bulge in Adora’s pants. “Wh—what, sir?”

“You’re about to find out.” Adora began to unzip her pants. “Open your mouth.”

Catra had to keep back an audible whine at the words, but obeyed instantly. Adora pulled down her pants, exposing the bulge in her underwear, and pulled her cock out. _That’s what she was doing in the bathroom_ , Catra thought distantly.

Adora took a step towards her with her cock in her hands, resting it gently at the entrance of Catra’s parted lips. She put hand on the side of Catra’s face and hesitated for a second. 

“If it gets to be too much, tap my leg twice,” She said, brushing a strand of hair gently out of her face. “If you just want a break, tap it once. Okay?”

Catra nodded, smiling a little against Adora’s cock. 

“Good girl,” Adora said, giving her a gentle slap to the cheek. “Hands behind your back. If they move, I’ll make you regret it.” Catra rushed to comply, whimpering lightly at the threat. 

There wasn’t any danger behind the words— aside from the obvious excitement of being punished for disobeying her, the exception to the rule was tapping out. Catra had never been worried about that.

“Good. Now open your mouth.” Catra did, eagerly. Her eyes were wide and dark, almost hungry for what was coming next.

Adora slid herself slowly into Catra’s mouth. Catra had to fight down her gag reflex as Adora’s cock hit the back of her throat, feeling a strong, sure hand tighten in her hair. “Aw, don’t fight it, baby,” Adora said, harsh and condescending. “I want to hear you choke on it.”

Getting her face fucked — not just a blowjob, but well and properly _fucked_ — had always been a fantasy of Catra’s that she considered unrealistic. 

For one, she didn’t trust any of her exes nearly enough to do it safely, and given that most of them were bottoms themselves she always felt guilty even thinking about it. Adora, though, was _more_ than happy to do it.

This wasn’t the first time she had done it with Adora, but it _was_ the roughest.

Adora’s packer wasn’t as long as some of the other dicks in her collection, which meant she could thrust herself hard into Catra’s mouth without real fear of hurting her. 

Catra knew how much Adora enjoyed the visual, and kept her eyes wide and open so Adora would be able to see it when they started to water.

Adora went slowly, trying to get Catra used to the feeling, but it didn’t mean she went softly. Each thrust of her hips was deep and hard. Most of them hit the back of Catra’s throat. 

The first time she choked on it, Adora let out a ragged gasp. The hand in her hair tightened. “Let me know,” Adora grunted, thrusting her hips in hard, “when you need a break.”

Catra did her best to nod around her cock, hands tightening behind her back. If they kept this up, they would need to invest in a pair of handcuffs soon.

When Catra’s eyes started watering, she saw Adora let out a ragged, shaky gasp. “God, you look so fucking good for me like this,” She said, strained from exertion. “Fuck. Look at you, all desperate to please.”

Catra let out a soft whimper at the words. The ache between her legs was starting to become unbearable, and her jaw was starting to hurt from the position she was in. 

She reached a hand around to firmly tap twice at Adora’s thigh, signalling that she needed to stop.

Adora pulled out of her mouth instantly, her face changing to concern. “Hey, baby,” She murmured, dropping the hard facade she’d put on for a second. “Talk to me. You want to stop?”

A string of spit connected Catra’s lips to the head of Adora’s cock, and she couldn’t help but stare at it. She cleared her throat, hearing her voice come out lower and raspier than usual. 

“Yeah,” She said, nodding her head lightly. “I-I need you to touch me, sir.”

Adora nodded. “What’s your color?”

The stoplight system was a more detailed way of checking in, and was one of Catra’s favorites. She gave Adora a small smile. “Green.”

“Then stand up,” Adora said, offering a hand to help Catra to her feet. “Face the window. Put your hands on it.”

Catra blinked. “On—on the window?”

“Did you hear me stutter?” Adora raised an eyebrow. “Put your hands on the window.”

Catra swallowed, positioning herself so her hands were braced against it. “O—okay.” In the reflection of the glass, she saw Adora walking up behind her.

Two fingers dragged roughly through her wetness, just barely brushing her clit, and Catra’s knees almost buckled under her as she let out a whine. “Fuck.”

“What is it, baby?” Adora said, her voice taking on a low, rough edge. She pressed their bodies together, wrapping an arm around Catra’s waist. 

Catra gasped as she felt Adora’s cock slide through her folds, resting gently between her legs. “F—fuck. Please.”

“Please, what?” Adora asked, wrapping her other hand around Catra’s throat. The hand at her waist slid down, rubbing at her clit. 

“Daddy,” Catra gasped, grinding her hips down against Adora’s hand. “God, daddy, please. I-I need you.”

“Where, princess?”

“Inside,” Catra begged. “Please.” Behind her, Adora nodded. The hand rubbing Catra’s clit moved downward again as she slid two fingers inside her without an issue. 

Catra’s arms began to shake where she was holding herself up against the window. She leaned forward to brace with her forearms instead. Her hands stayed flat, but now her forehead could rest against the window’s smooth surface. 

“You’re lucky this balcony is here.” Adora leaned close to her, murmuring the words into her ear as she curled her fingers inside Catra. “Otherwise, anyone would be able to look up and see you like this.”

Catra bit back a whine, nodding against the glass. 

Adora pressed a third finger against Catra’s entrance, sliding herself in slowly. Catra let out a harsh, sharp exhale at the feeling, unable to stop herself from whimpering, “P—please. I-I need your cock, daddy.”

“You’ll take what I give you,” Adora said, biting harshly at her shoulder as she thrusted her fingers in. “And you’ll fucking _thank_ me for it.”

Catra’s eyes slid closed at the spark of pain, nodding furiously. “Y—yes, sir. Th— _fuck_ ,” She breathed, bucking her hips back as Adora’s thumb began to circle her clit. “Th—thank you.”

Adora could feel Catra’s walls starting to tighten around her fingers. 

“Aw, baby, are you getting close?” She asked, sarcasm dripping from her words. Catra bit back a whine at the harsh tone she used. “That’s embarrassing. If I knew you loved getting your face fucked this much, I would’ve had you suck my cock during my work call this morning.”

“Fuck,” Catra whimpered, squeezing her eyes shut at the idea. She was so close now. She could feel it coming, building inside her—

And just like that, Adora’s fingers were gone. 

Catra let out a surprised groan at the sudden loss of fullness, pushing her hips forward against nothing. “Fu—fuck. Daddy, wh—”

“You can cum when I say you can,” Adora said, tightening the hand around her throat. “Do you understand?”

Catra nodded, unable to keep back a whine. She swallowed hard, feeling her throat bob against Adora’s hand.

“Use your words.”

Adora said the words with the same condescending, sarcastic voice she’d used seconds before, and Catra couldn’t help but try to squeeze her legs together. “Y—yes, sir.”

“Good. Keep your arms on the window. If they move, you’re not cumming today.” Adora’s hand stayed firm around Catra’s throat as she leaned back, positioning herself at Catra’s dripping entrance, and slid her cock inside her slowly. 

A groan tore its way out of Catra’s mouth. She arched her back, mouth falling open against her control, as Adora began to roll her hips. Her hand moved down again to rub at Catra’s clit.

Somewhere in Catra’s mind, she registered that Adora had moved her hand from around her throat. She didn’t know — and, honestly, she didn’t care — where she was moving it, as long as it was on her. 

When she felt Adora’s hand pushing her head gently — always gently, no matter how rough the scene was — into the window, she figured she could have cum on the spot. 

They’d talked about Adora being rougher many, _many_ times, but this was the first time Catra had really seen it in action. She fucking _loved_ it.

Adora snapped her hips deep into Catra, rolling them at a fast, steady pace in and out of her. “Nobody else gets to see you like this,” She said, pressing Catra’s head slightly harder. “You’re mine.”

“Yours,” Catra gasped, letting her eyes fall shut. She could feel her necklace bouncing a little, swaying with every thrust of Adora’s cock inside her. “Fuck. A—all yours.”

“Your pussy is mine,” Adora said, thrusting her hips in again. “Your ass is mine. You’re mine, Catra.”

“I’m yours,” Catra nodded, whimpering as Adora sped up the movements of her hand on Catra’s clit. “God. I-I’m all yours.”

Adora’s hand wasn’t pressing her into the glass hard enough to hurt, and the windows were solid enough to withstand the pressure, but even the implication of it was enough to have Catra racing towards her orgasm again. 

“Gonna cum,” Catra gasped, arching her back. “Fuck. P—please, daddy, I-I—”

“Cum for me, baby,” Adora said. She moved her hand away from Catra’s head, pulling her firmly to her chest and thrusting hard into her. “Show me who you belong to.”

Catra’s entire body tightened as she came, and her hands splayed out against the glass. Her breath came in gasps as she clenched hard around Adora’s cock, feeling the fingers on her clit circling slowly to work her through the orgasm. 

Adora’s other hand was firm and solid around her torso, holding her gently in place as she sagged back against her. “I’m right here, baby,” She murmured, kissing gently at Catra’s shoulders. “I’m not going anywhere.”

“Fuck,” Catra breathed. “Can—can you pull out? S—sensitive.”

Adora nodded, easing herself out of Catra carefully. Her legs were weak, and Adora could tell she needed to lie down. Aftercare was always her favorite part, and this was a scene that required more than usual.

She put an arm behind Catra’s back and another under her knees, picking her up into a bridal carry before walking them both over to their bed. Catra’s arms wrapped loosely around Adora’s neck, and she laid her head against Adora’s shoulder as they walked.

Adora laid Catra down and began to walk to the other side of the bed before Catra stopped her. She had a loose grip on Adora’s shirt, whining a little at the loss of contact. 

“Where’re you going?” She mumbled.

Smiling, Adora pressed a kiss to the top of her head. “Nowhere, baby. Here, scoot over.” 

Catra did, wiggling over on the bed to make room, and Adora slid into the space she created before pulling Catra close to her and rubbing her back. 

Catra clung to her instantly, wrapping an arm around Adora’s torso and tangling their legs together. 

They were quiet for a moment as Catra caught her breath, still feeling the effects of her orgasm, until Adora leaned down to kiss her forehead. “You did so, so well for me, baby. You know that?”

Catra couldn’t help the small, proud smile that spread across her face. “Yeah?”

“God, yeah.” Adora kissed her softly, pressing their foreheads together. “You took me so well. You listened to everything I told you, you tapped out when you needed to, and you just—” She sighed. “You were perfect. You _are_ perfect.”

Catra snuggled deeper into Adora’s chest. “Thanks, baby.”

“You know nothing I said was true, right?” 

“What do you mean?”

“About you being mine,” Adora said. “Or belonging to me. You’re 100% your own person, Catra. You’re the smartest person I’ve ever met, you work harder than anyone else in your life, and you’re so, so independent. It’s one of the things that I love most about you.”

Adora didn’t seem to realize what she’d said until it was out of her mouth, and she stiffened, hoping Catra hadn’t heard the slip. 

Catra just smiled against her, mumbling, “I love you, too.”

About a second later, both of them froze.

Adora blinked. “What?”

“Um,” Catra said, leaning back as the blood drained from her face. “What?”

“Did you just say—”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Catra said. “And if I did, it would be because you just said—”

“Wait,” Adora interrupted, “do you—” She swallowed. “Do you love me?”

Well, it was too late to go back now. 

Catra closed her eyes, letting out a frustrated sigh. “Yeah. I do.” Adora was silent next to her, which she took as a sign to continue, “Which I know is, like, _stupid_ considering you’re my sugar daddy and you could have anyone you wanted—”

“Catra.” 

She opened her eyes to see Adora giving her a wide-eyed, unreadable look. “What?” Catra said, wary. “Why are you looking at me like that?”

Adora’s face turned from shock to wonder to a soft smile. “Because I love you, too.”

“Oh,” Catra breathed. 

“Yeah.” Adora let out a surprised laugh. “God, we’re stupid.”

“You’re stupid,” Catra corrected, feeling a grin spread over her face. “I’m a physicist.”

“You’re _my_ physicist,” Adora said sweetly. Her grin flickered for a moment. “I don’t want to pressure you, though.”

Catra blinked. “What?”

“Well, like, into dating me.”

Catra was quiet for a minute, but it was more out of stunned silence than a need to think about her words. “Adora, I’m literally in love with you.”

“Yeah, but—”

“No buts,” Catra said. “I’m the one who wanted to call this—” She gestured between them with her free hand, “—a proper relationship in the first place, remember?”

Adora blinked. “Well, yeah, but I don’t—”

“No buts!”

“Let me just say this,” Adora said, holding up a finger. “I don’t want to take any experiences away from you, and I don’t want you to feel like you have to—to be in love with me for this to work. Even if we stopped, y’know, being—” She stumbled for a minute on the word. “Um. _Intimate_ , we would—”

“Seriously? Being intimate? What are you, sixty?”

Adora gave her a look. “Will you let me finish?”

Catra rolled her eyes. “Fine.”

“Even if we stopped having sex and kissing and shit, I wouldn’t just cut you off. I care about you, but I don’t want you to feel dependent on me. That wouldn’t be fair to you.”

“I don’t,” Catra said, and meant it. “I mean, obviously, I love spending time with you, and being around you is the best part of my day—”

Adora smiled. “Wait, really?”

“Yes. Shut up. I’m just saying,” Catra said, unable to keep the smile off her face, “I like you for more than your money, and I would love to be more than… whatever this is.”

“Me, too,” Adora said. “So you would be…”

“Your girlfriend. Yeah.” Catra nodded. “And you would be mine. Or my partner,” She said, raising her eyebrows.

“I like that better,” Adora said.

“Boyfriend could work, too,” Catra suggested. “It’s up to you.”

“I like partner.” Adora was quiet for a second. “And I-I like the other one, too, but maybe only sometimes. There are times I feel like one fits better than the other.”

Catra nodded. “I get it. Is today a boyfriend day or a partner day?”

Adora thought for a moment. “Partner,” She decided, smiling. “I love you.” 

Catra smiled. “I love you, too. Did you ever get that appointment for T scheduled?”

“No,” Adora said, sighing. “But my top surgery date is coming up.”

“It’s in the summer, right?” At Adora’s nod, Catra made a mental note to ask Bow about how to best accommodate her after it. Given that his own surgery had been only a few years prior, she figured he’d have a few suggestions. “I’ll be there.”

Adora smiled. “Thank you.”

“For what?”

“Being there. Being here,” Adora said. “Reassuring me.”

“Always, babe.” Catra smiled, leaning up to kiss her. “And I’m gonna be right beside you when we see your dad in a few days.”

At the mention of her father, Adora’s expression cracked a little. “I forgot about that.”

“I don’t blame you. It sounds like he’s barely worth your time anyway,” Catra said, raising an eyebrow. 

“He does his best.” Catra just stared at Adora until she shifted uncomfortably. “Well, okay, maybe not his _best_ , but—”

“What are you afraid of with him?”

Adora shrugged. Her jaw tightened. “I dunno.”

Catra raised an eyebrow. “That’s not true.”

“I was never good enough for him,” Adora said quietly. “I’m still not good enough for him.”

“Well, that’s just bullshit,” Catra said matter-of-factly. “I mean, look at the evidence. You’re making a seven-figure salary at 25, you’re in charge of the LA branch, and you work your ass off every day to make sure it stays running smoothly.”

“Yeah, but—”

“No buts,” Catra repeated. “I’m a scientist. You can trust me.”

Adora smiled. “You’re sweet to reassure me.”

“Well, as your _girlfriend_ ,” She said with a grin, adjusting herself so she could pull Adora closer, “that’s kind of my job.”

“I just don’t want to be a burden.”

Catra frowned, shaking her head. “You’re allowed to be a burden sometimes. More hands make less work, y’know? If I can help, I want to.”

Adora stared at her for a second before smiling. “I never thought of it like that.”

“See?” Catra asked, tapping her temple. “Doctorate brain.”

Adora let out a laugh, kissing Catra’s nose. “You’re absolutely right.” Her phone buzzed on the nightstand, and she leaned over to check the notification. “Oh, it’s Micah,” She said, raising her eyebrows. “Oh. _Damn_. He—” She cleared her throat. “He came up with a design.”

“Lemme see,” Catra said, gesturing.

Adora tilted the phone screen, swallowing thickly as she did. Catra realized why the second she saw the design. 

The top part of the design was all black. More than that, it was asymmetrical, with a high neck and a sleeve that extended down one arm. There was a window in the center of her chest that Catra knew Adora would be staring at the whole night. 

The bottom part, beneath all of that, was a deep, crimson red. It was _beautiful._ She had worn a _dress_ to the gala a few months before. This was no dress.

This was a _gown_. It was longer, more elegant than the first one Adora had commissioned for her, and Catra knew instantly that it was a true one-of-a-kind design.

“Holy fuck,” Catra breathed. The air _whooshed_ out of her lungs looking at it, and her eyebrows practically disappeared into her hairline. “God. That’s…”

“Fucking unreal,” Adora nodded. “Yeah.”

Catra turned to Adora. “You’re gonna match the color scheme, right?”

“Oh, of course,” Adora said, as if it was obvious. “I’ve had my outfit planned for months.” She gave Catra a grin. “Why do you think I asked him for black and red?”

*** * ***

When the conference started a few days later, Catra was so used to seeing Adora for the entire day that she couldn’t help but feel an odd sort of loss every time she woke up to find one half of the bed empty.

Adora always left her with a kiss on the forehead, as well as somewhere between two and seven _good-morning-I-miss-you_ texts, but still. Having to get up and make herself coffee in an empty suite was a little disappointing. 

It wasn’t all bad, though. The quiet let Catra focus on prepping for the next quarter’s worth of classes. 

By the time Adora came home from the first day of meetings and symposiums, she had her lesson plans for the quarter ready, the first four homework assignments outlined, and three entire lectures written out.

There were no practical differences to being partners rather than a sugar daddy and a sugar baby, but there were small ones Catra felt throughout the day. 

They smiled wider when they saw each other. 

Adora left her little sticky notes every so often with _I love you_ scribbled in her neat, tidy script. 

Catra had dinner ready by the time Adora came home— which, here, meant she ordered room service right as Adora left the convention center so it would be ready in time. 

For Catra, though, one of the biggest benefits to being partners was that she could finally tell her parents about her relationship. 

They had taken a while to come around after she came out to them, but time and conversations had helped. Now, her mother just wanted to know when she was getting married.

The afternoon before the dinner party, Adora came home to find Catra on the phone. 

“ _Sí,_ _mami_ ,” Catra said, rolling her eyes. “No, I’m telling you, you’re—” She noticed Adora, giving her a wave and a smile. “ _Mami, te lo juro. Vas a estar encantada con ella._ ”

Adora shrugged off her jacket and set down her briefcase on the table, walking over with a slow smile on her face. Catra pointed to the phone, and Adora nodded, pressing a soft kiss to her forehead before heading over to the kitchen to give her some privacy.

She poured a glass of water, sipping idly at it, and heard Catra say, “Yeah, she just got home. _Adíos, mami. Te quiero._ ” The conversation ended a moment later, and Catra slid her phone back into her pocket. “Hi, babe. How was the conference?”

“It was good,” Adora nodded. “I met with some investors from either Greenland or Iceland. I can’t remember which one.”

Catra hummed, taking a sip of water and stifling a laugh. “If they talked to you about geothermal energy, it’s Iceland.”

“You know, they did mention volcanos,” Adora said, grinning back at her. “How’s your mom?”

“She’s good. She wanted to know how London was, so I told her about you and about our trip so far.”

“Oh.” Adora blinked. “Um. Okay. What’d she say?”

“She wants to meet you.” Catra shrugged. “I told her about your job, and about how you like to spoil me,” She said. “I think she’s gonna like you.”

Adora nodded, then paused. “Did you tell her about—”

“Absolutely not.”

Adora let out a sigh of relief. “Okay, phew.”

“Officially, the story is that I qualified for a big grant from the school,” Catra said. “What she doesn’t know won’t hurt her.”

“I’m not gonna argue there.” Adora checked her watch. “We have about three or four hours before we have to leave,” She said. “How long will it take you to get ready?”

Catra thought for a second. “Probably about half of that time,” She said. “With, y’know, hair and makeup and everything.”

“So we have time for the series finale of Bake-Off?”

Catra grinned, already walking towards their room. “Oh, absolutely.”

They were still talking about the winner when the car came to pick them up that night. 

Adora’s outfit _did_ match her, as it happened. 

Her suit was a deep, crimson red that perfectly complemented Catra’s gown, and the crisp black shirt underneath only served to emphasize it. 

As soon as they walked into the gala, Catra knew in a second that they were the best-dressed people there. It was clear from the way heads turned as they walked by, the way eyebrows rose and mouths opened, and the whispers that quieted the second they passed.

They looked stunning apart, but together? They were absolutely, positively, _devastatingly_ gorgeous. Confidence emanated from every movement they made. 

Adora introduced her to a few of the members of the company’s Board of Directors, some of the upper-level management, and the head of their London branch. 

Every single one seemed more impressed than the last at her qualifications, and one of them — the head of their R&D team, she thought — tried to get her to take a job in New York.

When they got a break from the endless sea of suits and ties, Adora plucked two flutes of champagne off a passing waiter’s tray and handed one to Catra. “I think the gown is a winner,” She said, giving her a lopsided smile. 

“Yeah, no shit,” Catra said, taking a sip. “Do you know if your dad is here yet?”

Adora’s jaw ticked. She nodded towards a group of older-looking men that were hovering by the bar. “That’s him.”

Catra put a hand on her arm, rubbing soothingly. “Okay. Well, whenever you want to talk to him, I’m—”

“Adora!” A voice called. The two of them turned to see a man waving them over. 

Catra had never met him before in her life, but Adora seemed to recognize him instantly. “Hey! Good to see you again.” She gave them a smile, waving. To Catra, she murmured, “That’s one of the investors I told you about. Wanna go say hi?”

“What would I possibly have to talk with an Icelandic investor about?”

Adora shrugged. “You’re smart. I feel like you could figure something out.”

Catra considered that for a moment. It didn’t take long to realize she didn’t have a ton of other options right now, so she nodded. “Alright, fuck it. I’m game.”

Adora offered a hand, and Catra took it without thinking twice. They walked over hand-in-hand to the man, and Adora plastered a big, friendly smile on her face. “Hi, Mr. Eriksson. How’s your night going so far?”

“Please, call me Gunnar.” He was short and wiry, with light brown hair and a small mustache. He gave her a grin. “Fantastic,” He said with a light accent. As soon as he saw Catra, his eyebrows rose. “Oh, my. Mr. Grayskull, you’ve been holding out on us. Who’s this?”

“My girlfriend,” Adora said, turning to her a small, almost shy smile. “Dr. Catra Horde.”

“She always does that,” Catra said, shaking her head. “I’m still a PhD student, so I’m not quite _Dr. Horde_ yet.”

Gunnar smiled, nodding. “And what do you do, Ms. Horde?”

“I’m a physicist with the University of California, Los Angeles,” Catra said without thinking twice. Using the full name of her university was always more fun, especially with new people. 

He raised his eyebrows. “Oh. Wow. That’s….”

“Pretty incredible,” Adora finished, giving Catra another smile. “Trust me, I’m with you.”

Conversation changed quickly between topics, from the hors d’oeuvres the catering company was serving to one of the speakers from earlier that week. 

It all ended, though, when a tall, stern-looking man walked over to their group. He was on the older side, probably in his early sixties, and had silvery-blonde hair that was coiffed perfectly in place. His eyes were the same silver-blue as Adora’s, but there was something about them that put Catra on edge.

She realized what it was as soon as they made eye contact. 

Adora’s eyes were bright and warm, and usually held a sparkle in them. 

Her father’s eyes were cold.

Adora dropped Catra’s hand as her father cleared his throat. “Mr. Eriksson, I hope my daughter hasn’t been boring you,” He said, with a low, clipped Northeastern accent. Something about hearing Adora referred to as his _daughter_ made Catra’s eyebrows pull together in a half-grimace. 

“Not at all,” said Gunnar. “We were just talking about a speaker from earlier.”

Adora’s father hummed, nodding. “I see. Well, if you’ll excuse me a moment, I’d like to catch up with her about the company,” He said, flashing his icy stare over to Adora. “I’ll see if we can’t find something more _engaging_ to discuss.” 

To Adora, in a low, quiet voice, he said, “Are you coming?”

Adora’s jaw tightened as her eyes dropped to the floor. She gave a jerky nod, swallowing awkwardly. One of her hands clenched at her sides. “Yeah.”

Unease bloomed in Catra’s stomach as she watched Adora’s father lead her into a secluded hallway. She made an effort to laugh politely at a story Gunnar was telling her, but it only half-worked. 

Adora was gone for much, much longer than Catra would have liked. 

When she finally came back, her father was walking a few paces ahead of her. To say she looked visibly shaken was an understatement. Her eyes were distant, her hands were trembling by her sides, and she looked like she was having trouble breathing. 

“Sorry about that, Mr. Eriksson.” Her father put an arm around the investor’s shoulders. “Come on, have a drink with me. We’ll talk about your future with the company.” Gunnar gave Catra an apologetic look as the two left, conversing in low tones as they walked away, and Catra looked instantly to Adora. 

“Hey,” She murmured, squeezing her hand. “I’m right here.”

Adora nodded, still looking at the ground. She wasn’t speaking. 

“One tap for no, two for yes,” Catra said quietly, putting Adora’s hand on her arm. “Do you wanna go somewhere more private?”

A moment passed. Then, Adora lifted a shaky finger and tapped Catra’s arm twice.

Catra nodded. She’d seen a balcony earlier, when they had walked in, and figured it might help Adora catch her breath. “Okay. Come with me.”

She led Adora through throngs of people, giving them tight smiles as she did, until they were outside. 

As expected, the balcony was relatively empty, and there was a section of it hidden behind a small wall that was darker than the rest.

Adora sagged against it, finally taking in a breath. “S—sorry,” She said, wheezing with every inhale. “Just—” She shook her head erratically, hands clenching and unclenching by her sides. “I-I—” Her mouth opened and closed wordlessly, as if the words wouldn’t leave her.

“You don’t have to apologize,” Catra said. She wasn’t sure what to do with her hands. Right now they hung limply by her sides. She didn’t want to touch Adora and risk upsetting her even further. “What can I do?”

Adora gestured for her, making a _come-here_ motion with her hand, and Catra did without thinking twice. 

Adora picked up one of her hands and laid it flat on her chest, pushing lightly against it. Catra took the hint, applying a gentle pressure there.

Almost instantly, it was like Adora could breathe again. The rattle in her chest started to ease, and when Catra started murmuring gentle words of encouragement, it began to subside further.

“I’m right here, baby,” Catra said quietly. 

Adora nodded, taking in shaky breaths. Her nose was running, and there were a few tears that had slipped down her cheeks. “S—sorry. I don’t— I don’t know why—” She let out a shaky exhale. “He always does that.”

“Baby, what happened?”

Adora sighed. “He—he told me I wasn’t good enough. He called me a—” She cut off with a shaky exhale, shaking her head. “He called me a pathetic excuse for a successor, and threatened to have me fired if he didn’t land the investors.”

Catra’s mouth fell open. “What the fuck?”

Adora didn’t seem to have heard her. “I-I haven’t had an attack like this in over a year. Sorry, I-I should’ve—” Her mouth opened again, moving soundlessly, and she had to take a breath before speaking again. “Should’ve told you.”

Catra felt her heart twinge for a second, though it was replaced quickly by a growing feeling of rage in her stomach. “Baby, it’s okay. I’m just worried about you.”

Adora shook her head. “I’ll be fine. It’s not the first time it’s happened.”

“You shouldn’t have to see him again,” Catra said, rubbing at her chest. “We can go home.”

“We’ve only been here for, like, an hour.”

“Who cares?” Catra said, squeezing her hand. “We can get out of here and go get ice cream, if it would make you feel better. Or go to a bar. Or, if that’s too much, we can just go home and lie down.”

“I-I would really like that.” Adora nodded shakily. “I’m sorry. I know it’s only been an hour, I-I just—”

“Babe, I told you. You don’t have anything to apologize for,” Catra said, raising an eyebrow. “You just had a panic attack. There are more important things than a party.”

“What if he—” Adora choked on the words. “What if he finds me?”

“Then I’ll make something up and get us out of here before he can talk to you. Or I’ll throw a drink in his face,” Catra said, squeezing her hand. “Do you want a minute alone before we leave?”

Adora shook her head, clutching Catra’s hand a little tighter. “Can you stay with me?”

“Of course I can,” Catra said softly. She pressed a kiss to Adora’s forehead. “I’m right here.”

A brief silence settled between them as Adora’s breathing evened out. After a few minutes, she said in a quiet voice, “I want to go home. Is that okay?”

“More than okay,” Catra said, nodding. “We have some leftovers from last night, and I can draw us a bath.” She hesitated for a moment, letting her fingers rest gently on Adora’s chest. “He’s wrong.”

“What?”

“Your dad,” Catra explained. “He’s wrong about you. You’re not pathetic, you’re more than enough, and there’s no way in hell he could have you fired.”

Adora stared at her for a second. “I’m in love with you,” She said. “Do you know that?”

“Of course I know that,” Catra said. “I mean, when you said _I love you_ , I didn’t think you meant it as friends.”

“Okay,” Adora said. “Good.”

“In case it wasn’t obvious, I’m in love with you too,” Catra said, raising her eyebrows. “Do _you_ know that?”

“Yeah,” Adora said, smiling softly. “I do.”

Catra smiled, unable to keep it down. She stood on her tiptoes and pressed a kiss to Adora’s forehead. “What made you say it?”

Adora shrugged. “I dunno. It just felt right. Everything feels right with you.”

Catra couldn’t help but smile at the words. “Come on, you big sap. Let’s go home.” She turned to leave, then realized Adora hadn’t moved. She offered a hand. “Are you coming?”

Adora let out a quiet, contented exhale as she took a step forward, linking their fingers together. “Lead the way.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> if you like what you see, you can follow alex and i on twitter (where we're @hetheyadora and @brightb0lts respectively) or on tumblr (where we're @adorasheart and @brightbolts)! thank you!


	3. summer

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Summer settles in, and things change with the seasons. Adora meets the parents. Catra gets a job.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hi guys! sorry about the wait on this chapter, but hopefully an extra long word count will make up for it. for now this is the last installment of sugar daddy au, but it's entirely possible that we'll add a few oneshots to follow it! thank you to everyone who's gotten something -- whether it's just a fun time or a new understanding of gender -- out of keep me in your glow.
> 
> without further ado, here's the final chapter :)

Up until now, Catra had never understood the idea that love was anything less than fireworks all the time. And yet dating Adora was, in many ways, seeing a quieter, calmer version of her every day. 

Fireworks settled into butterflies, which settled into still waters and a warm sunset whenever Adora smiled at her.

Catra still had a closet full of designer clothes and tailored dresses, of course, but she also had Adora’s favorite restaurant saved in her phone. 

The sense of adventure hadn’t faded, exactly, but it had settled into something more reasonable. Adora still insisted on buying her things — and Catra wasn’t about to complain — but she started to listen when Catra told her to spend less time working and more time sleeping.

It was new. It was wonderful. More than anything, it felt right.

Catra didn’t feel the need to pretend around her the same way she did in previous relationships. There was no reason to. Adora loved all of her, and she loved all of Adora in return. 

They developed inside jokes, they learned each other’s weaknesses, and somehow they fell in love more with every passing day.

Summer arrived faster than Catra expected, though she figured that probably had something to do with the amount of work she’d done in the last three months. Spring quarter was always something of a sprint, after all.

The end of the school year was a welcome respite from working. Plus, ever since Adora’s top surgery a few weeks before, Catra had found an excuse to spend even _more_ time with her partner. 

She’d talked with Bow about his experience with it, she’d watched countless YouTube videos about recovery, and she had planned out every part of the weeks post-surgery to make sure they were absolutely, 100% _perfect_.

Adora couldn’t lift her arms above shoulder-height for the first few weeks, which meant she and Catra moved her microwave down to the kitchen counter and reconfigured the fridge to suit her better. 

Considering she was already over half a foot taller than Catra, it didn’t seem like much of an adjustment, but Adora seemed happy with it. That was enough. 

Actually, happy was an understatement. When she realized what Catra was doing, Adora started crying. Catra had asked what was wrong, of course, but all Adora did was smile and shake her head. _Nothing’s wrong_ , she had said. _I just love you. Thank you._

The actual surgery went off without a hitch. Adora came home groggy, and held a week’s worth of pain medication in her hands, but it was all worth it the first time she looked in the mirror. 

Catra had been waiting with the camera for nearly half an hour before Adora got home, took her shirt off, and saw her chest the way she’d always imagined it. Adora had started crying — which meant Catra had started crying — and she’d turned to her with a watery smile and nodded a few times.

She’d been healing up nicely, but they couldn’t return to some of their more, _ahem_ , physically taxing shared activitiesfor a few more days. 

So far, Adora had really only been able to finger her, and even that possessed a degree of risk. Catra didn’t want her to overexert herself, because that would risk tearing her stitches or worsening her scars.

But _that_ meant they’d gone almost three weeks without sex. Given that she had grown used to getting pounded on a regular basis, Catra was starting to lose it. 

It didn’t help that she basically lived in Adora’s apartment and they’d had sex on practically _every_ flat surface Catra saw. It was the worst kind of temptation.

It used to be that she slept over once or twice a week on days she didn’t have class, but once or twice had quickly become three times, which turned into almost every day. 

After Adora’s surgery, it had only gotten more pronounced. The pain meds made her sleepy, which made her cuddly, which meant she got sad and whiny whenever Catra wasn’t around to hold her or be held by her. 

They spent entire days in Adora’s bed binge-watching whatever show came to mind, and for once Catra got to take care of her. It was a new feeling, and one that gave her a warm, glowing sense of pride at being trusted so completely.

Razz had been right when she said Adora was more fragile than she let on. It wasn’t a bad thing, of course. Catra knew from years of experience that people like her, people that took the weight of the world on their shoulders, needed to let go more than anything. 

The issue was that they didn’t allow themselves to do it. 

So, when Adora did, Catra took it for what it meant. Adora trusted her to be there and to stay with her, regardless of what she could do in return.

Summer classes had just started up, too, which meant she was back to teaching. Barely anyone was around, and fire season was the worst it had been in years, so they’d opted for online classes instead.

Catra was sitting at her desk, trying not to let her eyes glaze over in the middle of watching boring — like, _boring_ boring — student presentations when she felt a tap at her leg. 

She jolted, and looked down to see Adora sitting against the leg of her desk with a smug look on her face. 

Catra muted her mic and narrowed her eyes, careful not to show too much of a reaction on her camera. “What are you doing?” She hissed. 

“You know how you suck my dick sometimes during work calls?” Adora asked, matching her volume.

Catra did. 

It was something of a new development, but definitely not an unwelcome one. Sometimes Catra just liked the feeling of it in her mouth, and would rest her head against Adora’s thigh and lean into the hand scratching gently at her head.

Other times, she’d take it as a challenge, and try to make Adora stutter with a particularly well-timed gag. 

“Yeah.” Catra’s eyes widened. “Oh. Oh, you— do you want to—”

“I want to eat you out, yeah. Is that okay?” Adora asked, raising her eyebrows. “I mean, if it’s too much, or if—if you’re worried, we don’t have to. I just… miss it. And I know you do it for me, which is why I wanted to do it for you.”

Catra’s eyes flicked back to her screen. Half of her class had their cameras off. The other half was on their phones. She knew it wasn’t her _best_ idea, but her pussy was already starting to throb at the idea. 

The presentation ended, and Catra tried to calm herself down enough to keep her voice even. She focused her attention back on the screen. 

“Nice job,” She said, unmuting for a second. “Alright, uh… group three, you’re up next.”

She debated it for another second before giving Adora a quick nod and spreading her legs.

Adora gave her a grin. “Tell me when you want me to stop, okay?” She paused for a second, letting her eyes linger on Catra’s joggers. “I’ll ask straightforward questions. One tap for no, two for yes. That way you don’t have to move too much.”

Catra nodded, not moving her eyes from the screen. She tapped her leg twice, and Adora nodded to herself. “Okay. Do you want me to start now?”

A brief pause. Then, two more taps. Adora couldn’t help the smile that curled onto her lips. “Take your pants off for me, princess.”

Catra swallowed down a whimper, and shrugged her pants down as subtly as she could. She got them down to the knee, and Adora helped her ease them off the rest of the way. She scooted under the desk, arranging herself carefully between Catra’s legs. 

Adora leaned forward, leaving gentle kisses along the insides of Catra’s thigh, until she reached the edge of her boxers. They had originally been Adora’s, but most of their wardrobes were shared now.

Adora smiled at the thought. She pushed the edge up a little before leaning in close to suck lightly at Catra’s thigh. She’d always loved leaving marks along them. 

Catra let out a quiet, jerky whine above her, and tangled one of her hands in Adora’s hair, tugging at it hard enough to let Adora know she was doing a good job. 

Adora closed her eyes, groaning lightly at the feeling. With a quiet voice, she asked, “Can I take these off, too?”

Catra bit her lip, tapping twice against her thigh, and Adora nodded in understanding. She pulled gently at the waistband of her boxers, sliding them down Catra’s thighs, and let out a contented sigh at the sight of her pussy. 

Catra heard it, and looked down at her with a confused expression. 

“I love your body,” Adora said, giving her a dopey smile. “I love doing this. I love you.”

Catra’s cheeks darkened in a blush, and she rolled her eyes goodnaturedly. She faked a cough for the sake of the camera, covering her mouth for long enough to say, “I love you too, idiot.”

Adora leaned forward, pressing a light kiss to her clit, and Catra took in a sharp breath of air. “Fuck,” She breathed, biting her lip. The hand in Adora’s hair tightened.

Adora’s hands settled lightly on Catra’s thighs, pulling them apart further as she licked long and slow up her slit. 

Catra stifled a whimper, resting a hand as nonchalantly as she could over her mouth. Adora stopped at her clit, sucking it gently into her mouth and flicking her tongue against it, and Catra’s hips jolted up against her. 

Adora let her eyes fall closed as she sucked, alternating between quick flicks of her tongue and hard suction, and heard Catra’s breath start coming in small, erratic gasps rather than the careful, even breaths she’d been taking a moment before.

The presentation ended, and Catra cleared her throat abruptly. “That—that was great, guys,” She said. The words came out much shakier than she intended. “Um, who’s—who’s next?” Her voice cracked on the last word, and she muted herself again as the next group began to present.

The hand in Adora’s hair tightened. “Fuck,” Catra breathed, scratching gently at Adora’s scalp. “Fuck. You’re so fucking _good_ at that—” She cut off with a low whine as Adora groaned against her. 

She’d always loved feeling Catra’s blunt nails scratch at her head, and the vibrations from her groan seemed to stimulate Catra perfectly. 

Then, the worst thing imaginable happened. 

One of her students asked a question about the final exam. 

Catra blinked, trying as hard as she could to focus on it, and pulled Adora away from her for a second with a hand fisted in her hair. “Uh,” She said, intelligently, “yeah. Right. Um, it’s—it’s gonna be mostly multiple choice, and—”

Her eyes flicked down with a slight gasp as Adora bit down gently into her thigh. “Uh. S-so, it’s multiple choice, with a few free response questions.”

Catra’s heart was pounding in her chest. Her students seemed to be satisfied, though, which meant she could mute herself again. She covered her mouth with a hand before muttering, “You’re so rude.”

“You love me anyway,” Adora said, positioning herself back in between Catra’s legs. “Can I keep going?”

Catra tapped her leg twice, and Adora wasted no time to get her right back on the edge.

Adora had no idea how much time had passed, but her hands began to dig harder into Catra’s thighs as she went. 

Catra’s eyes fluttered shut above her as Adora leaned back to bite down hard at the inside of her thigh, and she covered her mouth with her hand again. “Close,” She breathed, tightening her hand in Adora’s hair. “Fuck. I-I’m close, Adora.”

Adora nodded against her, sucking harder at her clit. Catra bit her lip hard at the feeling. Part of her brain was still _very_ aware of the camera on her, and at this point it was all she could do to try and keep her voice down. 

Her hips jerked up against Adora’s mouth as she reached the edge, letting out a litany of breathy gasps. Adora had been doing this for long enough that she knew what Catra needed to get off. Sure enough, as Catra got closer and closer, Adora laid her tongue flat so she could grind against it. 

Catra came with one hand over her mouth and the other fisted in Adora’s hair. Her hips jerked up erratically, trying to grind through the aftershocks against Adora’s tongue. 

It began to subside slowly, pulsing at her clit, and she leaned back against her seat with a heaving, shaky chest. Adora leaned back, resting her head against Catra’s thigh, and pressed a few gentle kisses to the skin there. 

The entire bottom half of her face was covered in Catra’s slick. She could see it shining in the light, shimmering gently in the afternoon sun.

The next presentation finished, and Catra tried to keep her face neutral as she unmuted her mic. “Hey guys, that was—that was great,” She said, clearing her throat. Her voice was rougher than it had been a moment earlier. “Why don’t we end early today?”

As soon as the call was over — Catra checked and rechecked just to make sure — she pulled Adora up for a deep, firm kiss. She could still taste herself on Adora’s tongue. 

“How was that?” Adora asked, giving her a grin. “Not too bad?”

“I’m convinced you want me to get fired,” Catra said, rolling her eyes. “But I did it to myself, honestly. How are your knees?”

Adora looked down, shrugging. “Not bad. I used my jacket as a pillow.” She pressed another kiss to Catra’s lips, biting gently at them before pulling back. 

“You know,” Adora started, sliding her hands around Catra’s waist, “I bet you could ride me without it hurting my stitches.”

As tempting an idea as it was, Catra knew it was unwise. “Easy, tiger. There’s only one more week before we’re in the clear.”

Adora pouted. “Fine.”

“But,” Catra said, raising an eyebrow, “I do have an idea I think you might like.”

Adora raised an eyebrow in clear interest. “Is that so?”

“It is.”

“And does it, by any chance, involve the six-month anniversary gift I got for you?” 

Catra swallowed. Adora was so damn _good_ at that. “Maybe it does.”

A slow, steady grin spread over Adora’s face. “Then you have my full attention.”

The gift in question was a wireless Bluetooth vibrator Adora had bought right before she’d had to go on a weeklong business trip. 

They’d gotten plenty of use out of it over a distance, but Catra had an even better idea for how they could use it next.

*** * ***

Someday, Catra’s inability to back down from a challenge was going to get her in trouble. 

As soon as they’d shared a brief conversation about how best to use their new toy, Adora had booked a reservation at a restaurant in downtown LA. If the reviews and the Michelin stars were any indication, it was going to be a spectacular night. 

Of course, that wasn’t the reason they were there.

Swift Wind had recently gotten a job as a bus driver for the LA Kings, so Adora opted to drive them herself. 

Her hand rested warm on Catra’s thigh the entire time in a not-so-subtle reminder of what was coming next. 

They arrived perfectly on time for their reservation. As soon as they got out of the car, Catra shifted where she stood, trying very hard not to give away the shakiness in her legs.

Catra was already sweating, and Adora hadn’t even turned on the vibrator yet. It was almost embarrassing. 

She could feel it, though. It was hard to focus on anything else.

It was pressed snug against her clit, and was secured in place by a small strap that connected to her thigh. There was a small remote in Adora’s pocket that would activate it, and from there she’d be able to change the settings as much as she saw fit.

Adora’s hand rested warm and flat against her back as she guided the two of them to their table. 

“What’s your color?” She leaned down, murmuring the question in Catra’s ear. 

Catra swallowed. “Green,” She said under her breath. 

Somehow, God had spared her tonight, because their table was hidden from most of the restaurant. Catra sent a silent _thank-you_ to whoever was listening.

Catra moved to sit down, and Adora — ever the gentleman — pulled out her chair for her. “There you go. You know,” Adora said, sitting down across from her. “I hear the oysters here are to _die_ for.” She paused for a second, concern mingling with anticipation on her face. “Do you know your safeword?”

“You ask that every time.” Adora merely raised her eyebrows, and Catra let out a huff. “Of course I do. And I know to guide you with the—the colors.”

Adora relaxed visibly, nodding. “Okay, good. I trust you. I just want to—”

“—Make sure,” Catra finished, nodding along with her. “I know, babe. I’m all good, okay? I want this.”

Adora’s hand twitched on the table, and Catra’s eyes flicked down to track the movement instantly. She moved it slowly towards her pants pocket, where Catra knew the remote sat, with an almost smug look of interest on her face. 

“Yeah?” Adora asked, moving her hand at a tantalizing, infuriating pace. “You sure?”

Catra swallowed. “If I say yes,” She said, watching Adora slide her hand into her pocket, “what happens?”

Adora shrugged. Her hand made a small movement in her pocket —so small that, if Catra hadn’t been watching, she would have missed it — and after a second Catra felt the vibrator against her buzz to life. 

It was low enough that it didn’t make her jump, but the suddenness _did_ make her bite her lip to keep a moan from escaping. 

It wasn’t fair, really. It was strapped firmly against her clit, and when Adora turned up the vibrations Catra felt it like a burst of heat in her stomach. Her eyes closed, trying and failing to control her breathing at how powerful the sensation was already.

Adora had made sure to charge it before they left, which meant it was at full battery and _full_ power.

When she opened her eyes again, swallowing thickly, she saw Adora staring at her, watching her with that same, familiar hunger.

“Something wrong?” Adora asked, her voice already taking on a lower tone. Even though the situation didn’t call for it, Catra couldn’t help but notice how wonderfully, beautifully flat her chest was. If she hadn’t been so focused on not whining audibly, she would have smiled. 

“No,” Catra said stubbornly, squeezing her legs together. 

The vibrations grew stronger in response. This time, the increase was sharp enough to make Catra let out an undignified noise of pleasure, clapping a hand over her mouth instantly to try and stifle any more. 

They subsided quickly into a steady, low level against her. “That wasn’t fair,” Catra said, trying to catch her breath.

Adora smirked. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Asshole.” The vibrations ticked up in response, and Catra had to take a deep breath to keep calm. 

“What was that?” Adora asked, raising an eyebrow. “Watch the attitude, baby. Our waiter’s coming by any minute now.” She leaned forward a bit, propping herself up on her elbows. “I’d hate for them to see you like this.”

Catra found it hard to keep back the whine the words drew from her. “Fuck,” She breathed, closing her eyes. “Not fair.”

“If I remember right, you didn’t want fair.” Adora paused for a second before reaching over to put a hand on Catra’s where it was fisted in her napkin. “What’s your color, baby?”

Catra’s eyes were still squeezed shut. “Green.”

Adora nodded, relieved. “Let me know, okay?” Catra nodded in response, biting her lip, and Adora lifted Catra’s hand up to kiss gently at her knuckles. “Good girl.”

Sure enough, their waiter came over a few moments later. It was uncanny, really. Adora had always been good at that. 

She was kind enough to keep the toy on its lowest setting while Catra ordered her drink, but Catra could tell by the look on her face that she was getting antsy. That meant she was planning something. 

Catra was proven right about thirty seconds later. It was kind of a dick move, to be honest. 

Adora waited until Catra was in the middle of ordering her entree to turn the vibrator up to the second-highest level. Catra’s eyes bulged almost out of her head before rolling back, and she closed them as quickly as she could. 

“Everything okay, sweetheart?” Adora asked, trying her hardest to act concerned. She turned the toy up to the highest setting.

Catra tried to hide her whimper with a cough. “S—sorry,” She stammered, reaching with a shaky hand for her water. “Just—just came out of nowhere.” She met Adora’s eyes with a half-desperate, half-pissed expression, and Adora relented. 

Catra gave her order to the waiter with her hand shaking around the glass of water, but she kept her voice even. That was a victory in and of itself.

After Catra finished, Adora turned the toy back down to the level it had been at before turning it all the way off. 

As soon as the waiter left, and their table was safely out of earshot, Catra leaned forward and hissed, “You are _such_ an asshole.”

“Guilty. You know, I have to say, that was impressive,” Adora replied, taking a sip of her whiskey with a grin. “I mean, you kept it together remarkably well.”

“Yeah, no thanks to you.” Catra rolled her eyes, reaching for her wine. 

She should have known that a comment like that wouldn’t stand. Adora narrowed her eyes a little, putting the toy back to its highest setting for a few moments. 

Catra went rigid for a moment at the feeling before letting out a quiet whimper into her drink. She stayed still until Adora turned it off again, then set her glass back down on the table. “What—what was that—”

“You know,” Adora started, running her finger along the rim of her glass, “you’ve been _awfully_ rude tonight for someone who wants to cum so bad.”

Catra’s eyes widened imperceptibly. “Oh?” She said, swallowing. “Is that—is that so?”

Adora nodded. “It is.” She leaned forward, running a gentle hand over Catra’s neck. The _A_ necklace she’d given her in London was hanging there, and it sparkled in the low light of the restaurant.

“I think,” Adora said, letting her hand linger on Catra’s neck, “you should apologize for that.”

Catra swallowed again. Her mouth was suddenly very, very dry. It didn’t help that her clit was still throbbing. “And—and why should I do that?” She asked, eyes flicking down to Adora’s hand in her pocket. 

“Because if you don’t, I’m not letting you cum.”

The words sent another spike of heat down Catra’s spine. “I mean, you usually have that vibrator on. What if I do it anyway?”

Adora raised her eyebrows, nodding lightly. “That would be a shame. I mean, if I gave you an order, and you chose to disobey it…” She shrugged. “I’d probably make you regret it when we got home.” 

She followed the words with three gentle taps to Catra’s wrist, their unspoken sign for _is that okay?_ and Catra had to hide another smile. She unclenched the hand she’d fisted in her napkin and tapped twice against the table in their sign for _yes_. 

Adora watched her with a small, satisfied smile, and leaned back in her seat. “Are you in an apologetic mood, princess?”

“It’s funny you ask that,” Catra said, aiming for a tone as airy and dismissive as possible. “Because I’m really not.” She didn’t want to give away the game too soon, after all. That was the whole point of this dynamic. She wanted Adora to take what was hers. 

Adora’s body language changed instantly. There was a flicker of movement by her leg, and a second later the vibrator was back up to full strength against Catra’s clit. 

Catra couldn’t stop her hips from jerking up against it, clapping a hand over her mouth to try and keep herself quiet. It only half-worked. She could hear herself letting out a stream of high, breathy whines as the toy buzzed quietly against her.

“If you want to be a brat, I’ll treat you like one,” Adora said in a low, almost menacing voice. She leaned forward. “You made your choice—”

Then, as if to spite them both, a _very_ familiar voice asked, “Catra?” 

Both of them froze, and Catra felt the vibrations against her subside instantly. 

Here’s the thing.

Catra’s family had a habit of cropping up in the worst possible places. 

Once, she’d found her mother browsing the wares of the sex store she’d gotten a job at just the week before. She had handed in her notice the same day. 

Another time, her father had driven to the church parking lot she was hooking up in for an impromptu midnight mass. She was just glad he hadn’t seen her. 

Now, she was about thirty seconds from having an orgasm in a restaurant, and her sister Lonnie was standing a few feet away. 

Catra blinked, trying to focus. “Lonnie. Is that— what are you—” She swallowed hard, trying to regain her composure. “What’re you doing here?”

“I could ask you the same thing,” Lonnie responded, raising her eyebrows. She nodded towards Adora. “Is this the boyfriend we’ve been hearing about?”

Adora straightened in her seat, shifting a little. Her eyes flicked over to Catra. “It is,” She said, smiling a little before standing up. She walked over, offering Lonnie a hand to shake. “Hi. You must be Catra’s sister Lonnie.”

Lonnie nodded a little, shaking her hand. “You look _really_ familiar,” She said, frowning a little in thought. “Have we met before?”

Adora blinked. “Um. Nope,” She said, shaking her head stiffly. “Not that I— nope.”

Catra was moderately confident that her legs wouldn’t give out underneath her if she stood up. So she got slowly to her feet, all too aware of how damp her underwear had become, and joined them. 

“Quit harassing her,” Catra said, rolling her eyes. “What’re you doing here?”

“Oh, so _you_ can go on dates to fancy restaurants, but when _I_ do it it’s out of character?” Lonnie raised an eyebrow.

“I’m dating a millionaire.” Catra frowned. “Wait a second. Are you on a date?”

“No,” Lonnie said, as if it should be obvious.

“Then why—” Catra let out a quick huff. “You’re so annoying. You _always_ do this.”

“Easy, dude. I’m just fucking with you,” Lonnie said, rolling her eyes. “God. You’re so touchy. I’m here with Kyle and Rogelio.”

Catra nodded in recognition. They had been Lonnie’s childhood friends, and had started dating a few years before. “Are they still together?”

“Six years this October.”

Catra nodded, smiling a little. “Good for them.”

Someone out of Catra’s line of sight called for Lonnie, and she waved at them. She sighed, then looked back to Catra with slightly-narrowed eyes. “Okay, I gotta go, but this isn’t over. I want to meet you properly,” She said, pointing to Adora. “Are you coming to Dad’s birthday?”

Adora raised her eyebrows, blinking. “Um. That’s a good question.” She turned to Catra. “Am I?”

“You can,” Catra said. “Yeah. It’s in a couple weeks.” 

Adora turned back to Lonnie with a small smile. “There you go. I’ll see you then.”

Lonnie left with a wave and a grin, leaving Catra and Adora to settle back at their table. 

They were quiet for a while, both of their hearts pounding with the adrenaline of almost being caught. That wasn’t all, though. Adora’s jaw was tight. Her hands were clenched hard enough that her knuckles had taken on a ghostly white color.

Catra frowned in concern. “Hey. Talk to me,” She said, putting a hand on Adora’s arm. “What’s going on?”

“Do you want me to come to your dad’s birthday?” Adora asked, looking up with a mix of hesitation and concern. “Because, I-I mean, I would love to, but if you don’t want me there that’s totally—”

“Easy, babe. It’s okay.” Catra rubbed gently at her arm. “Of course I want you to come. The only reason I didn’t ask sooner was because I didn’t know if you’d want to, y’know,” She said, gesturing vaguely, “meet everyone.”

Adora frowned, cocking her head to the side. “Of course I want to meet everyone. I’ve been dying to meet Lonnie for months. She sounds… I dunno,” Adora shrugged. “She sounds cool. And smart. Like you, but younger.”

“And straight.”

“And straight,” Adora nodded. “That’s true.”

Catra tried and failed to hide a smile. “Sorry. I didn’t know she’d be here.”

“Are you kidding?” Adora asked, raising her eyebrows. “ _I’m_ sorry. I mean, out of all the people to see you like that, your sister?” She cringed. “Rough.”

Catra swallowed, taking a sip of her wine. “Yeah. But, I mean…” She trailed off, shrugging lightly. “She’s not here _now_. So if you wanted to continue...”

“You wouldn’t be opposed?” Adora raised an eyebrow.

Catra was still _extremely_ aware of how wet she was, and she had never taken well to being denied an orgasm. “That’s an understatement.”

Adora smiled, sliding her hand back into her pocket. “That’s my girl.”

The vibrator buzzed on and off against her for the rest of the night — except for the time they spent actually eating — and by the time the end of dinner came around Catra was starting to lose her fucking mind. 

Adora was so fucking _smug_ about it, too. Every time she turned it off right as Catra was starting to get close, she would get this self-satisfied look on her face. She’d always follow it with some annoying, stupid fucking quip that Catra had to answer. 

_Something wrong, baby?_ She’d ask. 

Catra would have to pretend like she wasn’t a few seconds away from cumming on the spot. _No, sir._

When the waiter came and asked about dessert, Catra didn’t even let Adora _think_ about replying. “Nope,” She said quickly. “Just the check, please.”

Adora watched her with a raised eyebrow. “Somebody’s eager to get home.”

“Yeah, I fuckin’ wonder why,” Catra said. She stuttered on the last word as the vibrations picked up, spiking as she spoke. She had to fight to keep her eyes from fluttering shut. “Rude.”

“Watch the attitude.” 

“Or what?”

Adora’s jaw ticked. “It’s not polite to talk about _what_ in public.”

“Since when has that stopped you?”

Adora paused, leaning back. “You really want to know?” Her hand moved almost imperceptibly in her pocket, and Catra stifled a whine as the toy’s movements grew stronger against her. 

“Y—yeah.” Catra pressed her legs together. She could feel herself getting close. Her back was already going stiff, and her hips were locked in their position to get as much stimulation as possible.

Then, as if to taunt her, the toy turned off. Catra had to stop herself from letting out a half-disappointed, half-desperate noise.

“Too bad.” Adora gave her an innocent smile, crossing her arms over her chest. “But I’ll tell you what. You’ve been good for me tonight. I mean, you’ve had a _hell_ of an attitude about it, but you’ve taken everything I gave you without complaining too much. Isn’t that right?”

Catra’s heart was pounding in her chest from how close she’d been. Her voice came out shaky. “Y—yes, sir.”

“So,” Adora continued, “when we get home, I’ll let you pick.”

“Pick what?”

Adora leaned forward, dropping her voice down to a low murmur. “Which part of you I use first.”

 _That_ was unfair. 

Ever since they’d started incorporating more of a power dynamic into their sex life, one of the things Catra enjoyed most was the feeling of… well, being _used_. Being manhandled, being put into specific positions, anything that made her feel like Adora was putting her in her place. 

It wasn’t something she trusted anyone else to do. But she knew Adora was usually more focused on Catra’s pleasure than her own, and she knew that with their collection of safewords and signals there were plenty of ways to communicate her own desires.

And yes, admittedly, Catra still usually had to be a bit of a brat in order to access it. But when she did, and Adora finally started to treat her as rough as she wanted, it was fucking _hot_.

Catra closed her eyes, covering her mouth to try and hide the whimper she let out. 

Adora took notice instantly. “You like that idea?”

This was usually the point where Catra tried to re-establish herself as an equal player in their game, but today Adora won. She was okay with that. She pushed through the burn of humiliation to give a few jerky nods. 

“Good,” Adora said. “I do too.”

The drive home was quiet — save for the music playing idly in the background and the noise of the road — but the tension between them was suffocating. 

Adora’s hand was gripping tight and warm at her thigh, and every so often her pinky would brush the edge of Catra’s underwear. Every time, it sent a new, fresh wave of heat down into the pit of her stomach. 

The fucking _suit_ she was in didn’t help, either. Top surgery meant her chest was flat in an entirely different way, and with no tie in sight and her shirt unbuttoned to about halfway down, Catra could see the edge of her scars peeking out. 

Adora parked the car with a sort of tense impatience, and broke the silence as she did. 

“Have you thought about it?” She asked.

“Thought about what?”

Adora turned to look at Catra with a heady, dark stare. “You _know_ what.”

 _Oh._ Catra pressed her legs together out of reflex, nodding a little. She had, as a matter of fact. Maybe there was hope for her to win this yet. “Yeah,” She said, trying to sound as confident as possible. “I want you to fuck my tits.”

Adora just stared. 

“You can cum in me, too.” Catra cleared her throat. “I-I _want_ you to cum in me.”

Whatever Adora was expecting to hear, it wasn’t that. Her eyes shot open wide. Her mouth opened and closed a few times before she was able to get out a coherent sentence, and Catra felt a brief glow of pride at being able to render her speechless.

“You—” Adora blinked, eyes still as wide as saucers. “You— what?”

Catra let a sly grin curl onto her lips. “Remember that fancy new dick you bought?” 

Here, _fancy new dick_ meant an ejaculating dildo they’d found in their favorite sex store. It had quickly become a favorite for both of them, though they hadn’t been able to use it much because of Adora’s surgery. 

“Oh my god,” Adora said, barely above a whisper. “Are you serious?”

“I mean,” Catra said, “yeah? You’re letting me pick, right?”

“Yeah, but—” Adora blinked before her expression turned almost giddy. “Seriously?”

Catra shook her head. “I knew you were going to be weird about it.”

“I’m not being weird! I’m not. I promise,” Adora insisted. “I just—” She shrugged, blinking a few more times. There was a dopey, almost stunned smile on her face. “I like your boobs. And—and I like the idea of… doing that to them.”

“Adora, you can say fuck.”

“Fine.” Adora let out a huff. “I like the idea of _fucking_ them. In _fact_ ,” Adora said, cocking her head to the side, “I like it almost as much as I like the idea of cumming in you.”

Catra knew it had originally been her idea, but the words — and, more importantly, the visions they conjured up — still sent a shockwave up her spine. 

“Great.”

“Super.” Catra blinked. Adora’s eyes were as wide as saucers, and with the excitement on her face she looked like a kid set loose in a candy store. “Can we go up to the apartment, or did you want to do it here?”

“Oh!” Adora nodded, unbuckling her seatbelt in an awkward, rushed flurry. “Yes. Yeah. Let’s—let’s go.”

Catra could _feel_ the energy emanating from her in the elevator. Adora was practically buzzing with excitement. 

As endearing as it was, Catra had to admit that she felt the same way. 

The idea of being claimed like that, of being able to feel Adora inside her… it wasn’t her fault that it was a hot idea.

Maybe she wanted Adora to cum on her face, too. That was her business. Having a toy like that opened up a lot of possibilities, and Catra had always been an _I’ll try anything once_ kind of person.

The elevator _dinged_ when they reached Adora’s floor, and Adora gestured to the doors as soon as they slid open. “Ladies first.”

Catra bit back a comment about how _you’re about to fuck my tits, and here you are acting like a gentleman_ and nodded in thanks.

Adora followed her closely, guiding her with a hand on her lower back. The purpose wasn’t to guide her, after all. Catra knew the way like the back of her hand by now. 

No— Adora had her hand on Catra to remind her who she belonged to. 

And, honestly, Catra wasn’t that mad at it. 

As soon as they made their way into Adora’s bedroom, Catra turned to face her. “What now, daddy?” She asked, swallowing down her anticipation.

Adora paused by the bed. She shrugged her suit jacket off, throwing it over the edge of a nearby chair. “Take your clothes off.”

Catra stiffened at the tone her voice took on. It was confident, and self-assured in a way that Adora reserved for their rougher nights. It left absolutely no room for argument or, more importantly, for disobedience.

Catra didn’t hesitate to follow orders. She swallowed hard, stepped out of her heels, and slid the straps of her dress off her shoulders. The zipper gave her a bit of trouble, and after a few failed attempts at doing it herself she gave up. 

She let out an annoyed huff. “Can you—”

Adora nodded. “Turn around.” Seconds later, Catra felt a warm hand settle on her waist, pulling her flush with Adora’s hips as she slotted in behind her.

The other hand dragged lightly down her back, lingering by the curve of her ass, and Catra felt her breath turn shallow. Adora let out a small, contented sigh before dragging the zipper down slow enough to give Catra goosebumps. 

“How’s that?” She asked, low and warm against the back of Catra’s neck.

Catra swallowed, nodding a few times to herself. They’d been together for months, and Adora’s pre-sex voice still made her shiver. “Yeah. Yep. That’s—that’s good.”

The dress slid off, and Catra stepped out of it easily. It left her in nothing more than the lingerie set she’d picked out earlier. 

It was one of the first Adora had bought for her. Catra could tell the fabric was expensive from the first time she touched it. 

It was a beautiful crimson red, with intricate lacework and straps that almost made her look like a gift waiting to be unwrapped. 

Seeing it, Adora felt the air leave her lungs in a smooth rush. “God,” She murmured, shaking her head with a nervous laugh. “Fuck.”

Pride was technically a sin, but no one was immune to a little vanity. Catra hid a smile, trying instead to feign innocence. “What is it?” She asked, turning so Adora could see her back. She took great pride in her ass, after all. She knew how good it looked in the set.

Adora was not immune to it, and Catra didn’t need to see her to know how bad she wanted to touch her. “Come here,” Catra said, still facing away from her. “I wanna feel you.”

Adora did. She pressed a warm, soft kiss to the back of Catra’s neck, letting her hands rest gently on the exposed skin of her waist. “I’ve been wanting to do this for a long time, you know.”

Her voice came out low and with a noticeable rasp. Catra’s mouth was suddenly very, very dry, and it took her a moment to respond. “Do—do what?”

“Cum inside you.” Adora moved Catra’s hair to one side and continued pressing kisses up and down her neck, taking her time to admire the lace covering her skin. She paused, hesitating for a moment before saying, “Maybe I’ll even take a picture to show you what it looks like from my side.”

Catra’s heart skipped a beat. She blinked, turning halfway to face Adora. “With—with your phone?”

“I was thinking something a little more tangible.” Adora’s hands tightened gently at her waist. “I set up the camera the other day, you know. Put film in it and everything.”

Hearing the words, Catra had to stifle a whimper. 

They’d seen the online trend of keeping Polaroids of the other person in— well, in _compromising positions_ for weeks now, but Catra was never expecting them to _do_ it. 

She’d assumed Adora was just going along with the idea to please her. The instant camera they’d bought was still in its box, for God’s sake. 

Or so Catra thought, anyway.

She swallowed down a quiet moan and nodded, closing her eyes as Adora’s lips trailed up and down her neck. “Fuck.”

“Does that sound okay?”

Catra nodded again, letting out a small, involuntary noise as Adora began to suck lightly at her neck. “Y—yes, sir.”

Adora made a satisfied noise against her, releasing Catra’s skin with a _pop_. “Good. What’s your color?”

“Green,” Catra said immediately. “Fuck. _So_ green, daddy.”

Adora looked marginally more relieved. “Okay. I’ll keep checking in.” She pressed a light kiss to Catra’s temple, more of a silent _I-love-you_ than anything else, and squeezed lightly at her arms. “Do you want me to take the lingerie off before I fuck your tits?”

Catra shook her head, swallowing thickly. Her mouth was dry. “N—no, sir. Can you keep it on?”

“Of course, baby.” Adora pressed a kiss to the mark already darkening on her neck. “Lie down for me.”

Catra did. 

She swallowed again, adjusting the pillows behind her before arching her back up to put one behind her. Adora watched her for a moment with dark eyes, drinking up every one of her movements with a kind of thirst Catra had grown accustomed to. 

Her hand moved slowly towards the camera. “Do that again.”

“Do what?” 

“You look fucking amazing arching your back like that,” Adora said. Her voice dropped into a lower register when she next spoke. “Do it again.”

Catra blinked, trying her best not to shiver visibly, and did her best to recreate the pose. Adora reached for the camera, bringing the viewer up to her eye before aiming it at Catra’s body. 

Adora let out a sharp exhale before taking a picture. The flash of light made Catra’s narrow a little. The photo slid, undeveloped, out of the underside of the camera a moment later. 

When the white finally resolved into an image, Catra understood why Adora had taken it in the first place. 

To say that she looked good was an understatement. 

Adora had taken it from high enough that Catra could see almost all of herself. The sheets were splayed around her, and her legs were spread slightly apart. This particular set of lingerie was crotchless, meaning Catra could see _just_ how wet she was from the glint of light against her slick. 

Catra saw the fine, detailed red lace spiraling up her body, with a small hole in the center that showed the barest hint of skin at her stomach. If she looked carefully enough, she could see the hickies Adora had left on her boobs earlier that week. 

Her eyes had been closed when Adora took the photo. Now, Catra saw the expression on her face. 

Her lips were slightly parted, more in anticipation than in anything else, and the tendons in her neck were standing out from the strain at her back. One of her hands gripped tightly at the pillow by her head. The other was resting against one of her thighs. 

It was angelic. _She_ was angelic.

“Fuck,” Adora breathed, bringing it closer to her face. Her eyes were huge and dark, and there was a sort of desperation in every word she spoke. “Holy fuck.” She looked to Catra, almost shaken out of her headspace. “You— you look fucking _incredible_ , Catra. Do you see this?”

Catra smiled. “All for you, baby.” She tapped the photo twice before laying back against the pillows. Then, making sure Adora’s eyes were on her, she ran her hands slowly up her chest, stopping to run her fingers lightly over her tits. “This is all yours.” 

It was the right thing to say. 

Without taking her eyes off of Catra’s face, Adora set the camera down on her bedside table, laying the photo down next to it. She undid her cufflinks, setting them on the table, before moving to unbutton her shirt. 

It fell to the ground a moment later, which left her shirtless. Catra couldn’t stop herself from letting out a sharp, ragged exhale at the sight of Adora’s top surgery scars. 

She had started T a few weeks earlier, too. She wasn’t quite showing any development yet — other than a tickle in her throat and oily skin — but Catra couldn’t wait for her chest to be even broader. 

Another, _extremely_ present side effect had started to show itself, though, in the form of Adora’s sex drive. She’d been horny before, but now, she was borderline _insatiable._

More than that, though, it had become _much_ easier for her to unlock a more dominant, aggressive side of her that Catra absolutely loved. She could see it rearing its head even now, and wanted to savor it — and her — for as long as possible.

Adora moved to undo her pants, but Catra held up a hand. “Wait a second, baby,” She said, clearing her throat. “Come over first.”

Adora did, frowning in mild confusion. “Everything okay?” She asked, cocking her head to the side.

“Everything’s okay,” Catra nodded. She propped herself up on an arm before sitting up, angling herself towards where Adora was standing by the edge of the bed. It put her at eye level with Adora’s chest, which drew her attention to the light happy trail developing at her stomach. 

The line of her boxers stood out above her slacks, too. Catra took a moment to admire it, dragging her eyes up and down Adora’s body. 

Adora shifted under the attention. “What is it?”

“I just wanted to look at you.” Catra smiled, pulling Adora in for a kiss by the waistband of her pants. 

Adora made a surprised noise against her mouth, but melted quickly into it. Catra felt her smile against her lips. “Let me put the dick on. I’ll be right back.”

Catra nodded, squeezing her legs together a little in anticipation. The dick they had for this, _ahem_ , specific purpose was a little thicker than the ones Catra was used to, but she wasn’t worried. If it had happened a few months prior, she might have been. 

Now, after months of taking Adora with increasing ease, it was less of an issue. 

Adora came back moments later with the dick on, but that wasn’t all. There was a large syringe in her hand that was attached to a long, narrow tube that ran into the dick. Given the bottle of white cum lube in her other hand, Catra guessed at its purpose easily. 

“Do you know how much you want inside you?” Adora asked, pulling out the plunger of the syringe with a gentle _pop_. “I have to put it in manually, so you can decide.”

Catra blinked. She hadn’t heard much of what Adora had said, and was staring at the cock hanging from her boxers. It was relatively realistic (though the head was a little more tapered to make it easier to take), and was ridged with veins that stood out against the shaft. 

“Uh,” Catra said, blinking intelligently, “do you— I mean, how—how much do you think?”

Adora shrugged. “Do you want me to cum on your tits?”

Catra couldn’t stop herself from letting out a whine at the words. “Fuck. Y—yes, sir.”

Adora nodded, and began to squeeze liquid into the tube. She got it to roughly the halfway point before looking up at Catra expectantly. Catra nodded furiously, closing her eyes a little as Adora swung herself onto the bed. 

“You still with me, princess?” Adora asked, putting a gentle hand on the side of Catra’s face. Her thumb rested on Catra’s bottom lip. As Catra nodded, she couldn’t resist opening her mouth a little to take it inside.

Adora swallowed, watching her head bob back and forth, and pushed her thumb a little deeper into Catra’s mouth. “If you’re good, I’ll let you suck my cock when we’re done.”

Catra whined again at the words, hips jerking up against thin air, and nodded. Adora pulled her thumb out, wiping it off lovingly against Catra’s cheek, and settled her legs on either side of Catra’s chest. “Does that feel okay?”

By this point, the ache between Catra’s thighs was starting to feel unbearable. She nodded furiously, barely keeping herself from saying some combination of _fuck-me-already_ and _please-god-get-started_.

Adora nodded, and pressed gently on the syringe until a few drops of white began to push through at the head. Adora took her thumb and smeared it around her hand, giving her cock a few pumps to coat it in the lube. “Push your tits together for me, baby.”

The words, coupled with the action, sent a spike of heat down her spine. “Yes, sir,” Catra said, shifting herself. It was something of an awkward feeling, as the pressure on the sides of her breasts wasn’t something she was used to, but it wasn’t bad. 

Catra positioned herself more comfortably, using her hands to squeeze her tits together as best as she could, and looked expectantly up at Adora. “How’s that?”

Adora nodded, stroking her cock almost lazily as she watched. “Fucking perfect.” Bracing herself on the headboard, she shifted so her dick rested genty at the lower edge of where Catra’s boobs were pressed together. 

With a slow, careful motion, she slid her hips forward. Catra couldn’t help but gasp a little at the sensation, more out of the aesthetics than anything else. Adora’s face was taut in concentration, and the veins in her arms were standing out from the tension on them. 

The head of Adora’s cock slid gently through her tits and appeared at the other side. Catra couldn’t help but let out a small gasp at the feeling of it. It was an odd sensation — again, not a bad one, but not something she was used to — but she had to admit: it was fucking _hot_. 

Adora picked up her pace, thrusting gently back and forth on top of Catra’s chest, and began to let out little grunts of exertion.

That was her favorite part. Normally, Adora wasn’t particularly vocal during sex, but one of the largest and clearest exceptions Catra had found was when she was fucking into her. This was no different, it seemed. 

Adora’s head tipped forward, thudding gently against the wall, and Catra looked up to see her face contorting in pleasure. 

“You like this, huh?” Catra asked, half-breathless. “Fucking my tits?”

Adora nodded, letting out another soft grunt as her hips jerked forward. “Fuck. Yeah, baby,” She said, nodding against the wall. “I do.”

She wasn’t the only one. Catra knew that Adora experienced pleasure in different ways than she did — which was one of the reasons she’d suggested this in the first place — but the feeling of being fucked like this was… inexplicably hot. 

There was a degrading aspect to it, though it wasn’t as significant as it would’ve been if Adora was fucking her doggy-style. And there was a feeling of being used, but not as much as there was when she was getting her face fucked. 

More than anything, Catra felt desirable. She felt sexy. She _was_ sexy. 

She could live without cumming for a few more minutes if this was what it meant. 

Adora’s breathing was getting shallower. “Fuck. I-I wanna cum on you,” She grunted, cracking open her eyes for a second. “Can I?”

“I’m yours, right?” Catra said, swallowing. “Show me who I belong to.”

Adora nodded. She leaned back, settling above Catra’s chest as she fumbled for the syringe and pressed down. The cum took a few moments to come out, which had Adora frowning a little until the first few drops of white bubbled out of her cock. 

It was cold as it hit Catra’s tits, and the sudden chill made her gasp. She couldn’t help but arch her chest up into it, staring openly at the white painting her chest. “ _Fuck_ , Adora,” She breathed, not taking her eyes away from the cum on her. 

“What is it, baby?” Adora asked in between heaving breaths. “You—you okay? I can grab a towel if you want to stop—”

“Leave it on,” Catra interrupted. “I-I like it. And I want it inside next.”

Adora’s eyes widened, and she started nodding furiously the second the words left Catra’s mouth. “Okay. Yeah. That— that sounds good.”

She leaned down to give Catra a gentle kiss, resting their foreheads together for a moment before letting her hand trail down to Catra’s entrance. 

The intent was obvious— Adora was going to finger her and work her open, prepping her before she slid her cock in. 

Catra put a hand on her wrist. “Wait, baby.”

Adora stopped instantly. “What is it?”

“Put it in.”

Adora blinked, looking down for a second at her cock before looking back up at Catra. “Are you sure? I don’t want to hurt—”

“Trust me, I’ve been waiting for this for, like, four hours. You’re not going to hurt me,” Catra said, putting a reassuring hand on Adora’s face. “I can take it.”

Adora nodded with a flicker of worry in her eyes. “Tell me if it’s too much.”

“Of course I will.” Catra leaned up, kissing her again, and moved her hand to Adora’s back. 

She felt the tip pressing at her entrance moments later and couldn’t help but let out a harsh, ragged gasp as Adora pressed herself in. Catra had been right — she _was_ ready to take it. 

It slid in without any issue, and as Adora braced her other arm beside Catra’s head she couldn’t help but let out a low groan at the feeling of being so full. 

Adora’s first thrust was experimental, rolling gently against Catra’s hips, and her eyes rolled back in her head at the feeling. “Y—yeah,” She breathed, back arching up gently. “Just like—” Adora rolled her hips again, harder this time, and Catra cut off with a strangled moan. 

The hand at Adora’s back began to dig in hard as her hips picked up their pace. Catra lifted her legs a little, wrapping them loosely around Adora’s hips. 

The change in angle meant Adora’s cock hit her deeper than it had a second before. More than that, though, it meant the base of it rubbed against her clit with every one of Adora’s thrusts. 

Catra couldn’t help but let out a long, desperate whine as Adora pushed herself in again. Each thrust was harder than the last, and as Adora picked up speed, she tucked her face into Catra’s neck. 

“You look so _fucking_ good taking me like this,” She said in between grunts. “Fuck. God, you feel so good.” 

Catra nodded, her mouth falling open as Adora picked up her pace, thrusting harder into her. She could feel her weight pressing her down into the mattress. “Y—yeah,” She gasped, back arching up as Adora snapped her hips in deep. “God, daddy. _Fuck_.”

“You’re mine,” She growled, biting down hard at Catra’s neck. “You’re mine.”

Catra nodded, eyes squeezed shut. She could feel the cum still on her chest, she could feel Adora’s weight pressing her into the mattress, and she could feel her walls starting to tighten. She arched her back up, chasing her pleasure desperately. 

“Y—yours,” She breathed, wrapping her legs tighter around Adora’s waist. “Fuck. I-I’m close.”

Adora nodded, leaning up for a second to make eye contact with her. She didn’t let up on her pace, nor did she make her thrusts any less powerful. “You want me to cum in you?”

The words alone almost sent Catra over the edge. She nodded frantically, feeling Adora pause for a second as she reached for the syringe, and bucked her hips up to try and rub her clit against the base of Adora’s cock. 

Adora wrapped a hand around her throat, thrusting in deep a few more times. She leaned in close, squeezing gently at Catra’s neck. “You’re gonna look so good with my cum leaking out of you.”

That was all she needed. 

Catra let out a high, keening moan as she came. Her legs stayed wrapped around Adora’s waist, tightening as her back stiffened in pleasure, and her nails dug in hard and deep enough to leave angry red marks in their wake. 

Adora fucked her through the aftershocks as best as she could, rocking gently with the space Catra’s legs allowed her. 

A moment later, Catra felt the first spurt of cum inside her. 

It was a shock at first. It was a cold, surprising feeling, but the immediate fullness that followed it almost brought her to a second orgasm. 

Catra shuddered as rope after rope of Adora’s cum hit deep inside her, digging her nails into the muscle of Adora’s shoulders. 

Once the liquid inside the tube ran out, Adora rolled her hips in a few more times, as if to fuck her cum even deeper inside Catra. As good as it felt, the overwhelming fullness and sensitivity got to be too much. 

Catra put a hand on Adora’s chest and let her head fall back against the pillows. 

“P—pull out,” She breathed, hearing a new rasp in her voice. “Sensitive.”

Adora did without thinking twice, drawing her hips back slowly and carefully. As soon as Adora’s cock was out of her, Catra let out a ragged gasp at the sudden lack of fullness. 

It was quickly followed by the feeling of something… _leaking_. 

Adora’s eyes flew open, and she fumbled distractedly for the Polaroid as Catra’s chest heaved for air. “Can I— can I take a picture?”

Catra nodded, barely registering the words, and closed her eyes again at the flash of light. There was another a moment later, though it was closer to her body.

Adora brought the viewfinder away from her eye, still staring stunned at Catra’s pussy as the feeling continued. She waited for the photos to develop for a moment. 

When Adora looked at them, she swallowed — or tried to, if the cough was any indication — and stammered, “It’s— it’s leaking out. Um. The cum is leaking out of you.”

“Yeah. I gathered,” Catra said weakly. “Lemme see the pictures.”

Adora passed it to her, and as soon as she took a look at it she knew why Adora’s reaction had been what it was. 

The first photo was more... general. 

Her pussy was in frame, of course, but the real focus was on Catra as a whole. If she looked up at her chest, she could see the barest hint of white on the red lace covering her body. Her hair was a mess, her lips were swollen, and her eyes were closed. 

She looked absolutely fucked out— which, to be fair, she was.

But the second picture was the close-up. 

There, Catra could see a hint of red lace around her waist, but the focal point was her pussy. The cum on her chest was nothing compared to what was dripping out of her now. 

The thatch of curly hair between her thighs glistened with her slick. She could see how red and swollen her pussy was from how hard Adora had fucked her, but her main focus was on the thick stream of white leaking down towards the sheets. 

Catra let out a shaky exhale at the pictures. “Fuck,” She said, letting out a nervous laugh. “That’s… wow.”

“That’s you,” Adora said, rubbing gently at her thigh. “You did so well for me, baby. You know that?”

“I try.” The orgasm had taken her out in a big way, and she could already feel exhaustion settling in. Catra made a grabby-hands motion, and Adora smiled in response. 

She shucked the dick and tube off, letting her boxers fall somewhere out of sight, before snuggling in behind Catra in order to cuddle her better. As soon as her leg touched the space where Catra had been laying, she drew it back with a surprised yelp. 

Catra cracked an eye open, looking back at her. “What?”

“Uh. The bed is—” Adora cleared her throat and let out a laugh, wrapping her arm around Catra’s chest and pulling her closer. “It’s—it’s _very_ wet down there.”

Catra shook her head a little, wiggling back into Adora’s hips. “And whose fault is that?”

Adora stared at her for a moment before a surprised laugh bubbled out of her. “Fair point. Um. I-I think we should wash the sheets tonight, though. I don’t wanna stain the mattress pad again.”

“Is it a pull-out couch night?” Catra asked, yawning. 

“It might be.” Adora left a line of kisses to Catra’s shoulder blade, earning a contented sigh from her. “We can worry about it later, though. I wanna hold you for as long as you want me to.”

“And then shower time, right?”

“And then shower time.” Adora pressed a kiss to the back of Catra’s neck. As a gentle silence settled between them, Catra felt sleep pulling her close— until Adora broke it. 

Showering with Adora had quickly become one of Catra’s favorite pastimes.

It was odd — in other, past relationships, she had always dreaded it. Sex was one form of intimacy, but to bathe another person was something completely different. 

It was softer. It was more open. There was no pretense, no expectation— only the reality of being laid completely bare for another person to see. 

It was terrifying. 

Honestly, Catra had been more nervous for their first shower together than their first time having sex. She’d talked with Adora about it, and the same thing had been true for her. As fun as sex was, there were parts of it that could be impersonal. 

That was especially true in casual sex, but even in past relationships there had been times she’d needed to shower alone for fear of the other person’s reaction to her body.

And yet somehow, she never felt insecure when Adora looked at her. She never felt worried about how she looked, never felt scared for Adora’s reaction. 

She never felt anything other than loved in her entirety. 

There was a certain amount of trust that was inherent in it. Her last relationship had lasted nearly four years, and Catra had never felt the same level of trust she did after six months with Adora. 

She knew that meant something. Probably something _long_ , too. And it wasn’t as though she hadn’t considered what a future with Adora would look like. 

In fact, it was one of the only things she ever thought about.

After Catra’s need for post-sex cuddles had been sated, Adora turned the water on to give it some time to heat up and the two of them stripped naked in comfortable silence. 

When it was deemed warm enough — which meant hot enough for Catra to feel like she was being boiled alive — Adora opened the glass door and gestured to it. 

“Ladies first,” She said, giving Catra a small, fond smile. 

Catra stepped through, closing her eyes at the feeling of the hot water pounding her skin. This was another reason she enjoyed showering with Adora more than showering alone— her water pressure was fucking _perfect_. 

Adora stepped in a moment later, dunking her head under the water and letting out a small hum of pleasure at the feeling. She opened her eyes with a contented smile and leaned down to press a gentle kiss to Catra’s lips.

“Hi,” Adora murmured, pressing their foreheads together. Her arms slid lazily around Catra’s waist, pulling their bodies flush together. 

“Hi yourself.” Catra let them stay like that for a second before she reached up to get Adora’s shampoo. “C’mere. I wanna wash your hair.”

Adora bowed her head to make it more accessible, and another comfortable silence settled between them. She closed her eyes and let out a long sigh at Catra’s touch, sinking into the feeling of Catra rubbing the soap into her hair and scratching gently at her scalp. 

Catra’s fingers were still in her hair when Adora spoke. 

“Can I ask you something?” Adora said quietly. There was a tentative edge to her voice, like it was something she was hesitant about. 

Catra’s fingers stilled for a moment before resuming her ministrations. “Of course you can, baby. What is it?”

“Ever since I got top surgery, and—and I started T, I’ve been wondering something,” Adora said, scratching the back of her head. “And… I guess—” She cleared her throat, obviously trying to work up the courage to say something.

“Baby,” Catra said gently. “Talk to me.”

“Do you think it would be okay if I—” Adora swallowed, squeezing her eyes shut tighter. The side of her jaw ticked. “...If I went by different pronouns?”

Catra slid her fingers out of Adora’s hair, washing them off before resting her hands on the sides of Adora’s face. “Baby, look at me.” Adora’s eyes opened, though not without a fair amount of hesitation. “Of _course_ that’s okay. Which ones did you have in mind?”

“He/him,” Adora said. “And—and they/them. Both. Either. I-I don’t think I have a preference.”

Catra nodded, giving them a reassuring smile. She squeezed their forearms as she spoke. “Do they make you feel more like yourself?”

Adora nodded silently, tightening his grip on Catra’s waist. “Y—yeah. I think so. I mean, you’re the first person I’ve told, but I-I think they’re gonna make me feel better.”

“Then I love it,” Catra said, pressing a firm, reassuring kiss to their lips. “And I love you. I’m always gonna love you.” She smiled, resting their foreheads together. “Thank you for telling me.”

A shaky sigh of relief left Adora’s chest, and he seemed to deflate almost instantly. “Of course. Thank you for being okay with it.”

“Of course I’m okay with it,” Catra said, frowning in concern. She put a hand on the side of Adora’s face, stroking gently along the line of their cheekbone with her thumb. “Babe, you never have to worry about telling me stuff like that. If it makes you feel more like yourself, I’m with you all the way.”

Adora nodded a few times, closing his eyes again. “Thank you,” He said, voice cracking. “I love you.”

“I love you, too.” Without thinking twice, Catra pulled them in for a warm, firm hug. Their bodies met under the showerhead, with water rolling down their backs, and Adora thought he could live in the moment forever.

*** * ***

It was raining the day of Catra’s father’s birthday. That should’ve been Adora’s first sign that the day wasn’t going to be as simple as they had thought. 

Rain in California was always something that raised eyebrows. Rain in the _summer_ was unheard of. 

Growing up in the Northeast (and living in Boston for half a decade), Adora was used to weather conditions that were less-than-average. They’d driven through blizzards, hurricanes, and just about everything in between. A little rain didn’t scare them.

Given the accident reports crawling along the banner of the news channel, people in Los Angeles tended to have a slightly _different_ reaction. 

A flicker of tension had begun in his stomach almost a week prior, but seeing what had happened made Adora’s gut twist a little further. He wasn’t particularly superstitious, but he wasn’t _blind._

An unexpected weather event just _happened_ to hit them the day he was supposed to meet his girlfriend’s family. The heavens couldn’t be much clearer than that.

Between the rain, the anticipation, and the idea of driving a hundred miles, the tension in Adora’s stomach had settled into pure, simple unease by the time the two of them were ready to make the drive.

“Are you sure this is really okay?” Adora asked. Their hands were gripping the steering wheel like they were trying to strangle it. Their knuckles had turned white. “I mean, what if we’re late?”

Catra shook her head fondly, setting a hand on Adora’s where it rested against the leather of the wheel. “They’ve been dying to meet you for _months_ , dude. You’re gonna be okay. Plus, like, _half_ of our family usually shows up an hour after they’re supposed to. I wouldn’t worry about it.”

“I know, but I—”

“No buts. We’re gonna be okay.” Catra typed her parents’ address into Waze, nodding in satisfaction as she put the phone in the cupholder so Adora could see it. “Are you ready to get going?”

Adora swallowed, nodding stiffly. “Yeah. You said it’s an easy drive once we get out of the city, right?”

“Oh, completely,” Catra said, nodding in reassurance. “You’re not gonna have any trouble.”

 _That_ , as it turned out, was only partially true.

The roads weren’t terrible, but they weren’t exactly free of trouble. 

One thing Adora had noticed working in business was that trouble came in many forms. More than that, it was never quite where you expected it to be. 

Trouble was a spilled latte before a work meeting, trouble was a glitch in the system that sent their IT department into a frenzy the week before the start of the holiday season, and trouble was one too many glasses of bourbon at a company party. 

Today, trouble was soap on the roads.

Adora didn’t know he was supposed to expect it, but Catra just sighed when she saw the foam bubbling along the sides of the street.

Adora frowned, nodding towards it as the car pulled up to a red light. “What’s that?”

“Soap.”

Adora blinked. “What?”

“Soap,” Catra repeated. Adora looked over to see her scrolling aimlessly through Twitter. After being met with silence, she looked up to see Adora just as confused as ever. “Why are you looking at me like that?”

“Who put soap on the road?”

Catra cocked her head to the side. “No one put soap on the road.”

“Then why is there—” Adora closed their eyes, taking a deep breath. “You’re doing this on purpose.”

“Haha, yeah. I like how red your face gets,” Catra said, chuckling a little. “You look like a little tomato.”

Adora rolled their eyes. “Don’t be a dick. Why is there soap on the roads?”

“Alright, alright.” Catra nodded towards it, pointing at the bubbles collecting near the curbs. “That always happens with the first rain of the season. There’s usually such a long period between them that the oils on the street build up. When the rain hits, they get brought back up to the surface.” She shrugged. “Hence, soap on the roads.”

Adora shook his head, glaring at the suds on the side of the road. “That’s fucked up.”

“You eat investors for breakfast, like, _daily_ , and you’re afraid of a little soap?”

“I just didn’t know it was a thing!” Adora huffed. “Next time you drive in a blizzard, tell me how it feels. We’ll have a lot to talk about.” 

Catra hid a smile. “They don’t have conditions like that in Boston, huh?”

“They do not,” Adora confirmed. “They have hockey, though.”

“I mean, we do too. The Kings play at—” Catra paused for a moment, thinking. “The Staples Center, I think.”

“Yeah, but we have _real_ hockey.”

“Tell that to Gretzky.”

“Fair point,” Adora shrugged. “What’s my next move?”

“You’re getting on the 101 and staying there,” Catra said, stifling a yawn. They’d had to leave an hour earlier than planned to give themselves more time to get there, which meant she’d been cruelly robbed of an hour’s worth of sleep. 

To no one’s surprise, she fell asleep as soon as Adora got on the freeway. By the time she woke up, rain clouds had shifted to tall, solid-looking mountains and sunny skies.

The familiar sight of them made Catra smile even now. She’d spent her childhood — and many of her teenage years, though for different, slightly more illegal reasons — roaming the Santa Ynez mountains. Seeing them again was like coming home. 

Santa Barbara was just how she remembered it. 

State Street was buzzing, with throngs of college students and older couples alike all roaming the shops and restaurants, the Riviera was full of joggers, and the pier was full of tourists. Everything was as it should have been. 

Her parents’ house was no different. 

The university they taught at was about ten miles west of Santa Barbara, and as a result they lived in a town much smaller than the city proper. In fact, it was (as Catra had mentioned time after time to Adora) the most densely-populated square mile west of the Mississippi river.

Catra pointed out her parents’ house easily — _turn past the frat house into the cul-de-sac, and it’s the first house on the right_ — and Adora pulled them slowly into the driveway. There were four or five cars already parked outside it, and the muffled sound of music was coming from within the house itself. 

Catra recognized her aunt and uncle’s car, the beat-up sedan Lonnie drove (she figured Rogelio must have carpooled), and a few more that she vaguely remembered from growing up. Friends, family, and so on and so forth. It was a familiar sight, and she couldn’t help but smile.

“Alright,” Catra said, unbuckling her seatbelt as Adora pulled the car into park. “We’re here.”

She looked over to see Adora staring at the front door like they’d seen a ghost. “Whoa. Okay,” Catra said, putting a hand on their arm. “What’s going on?”

“Sorry,” Adora said, shifting in his seat. “Sorry. Um. I-I just— I’ve never done this before.”

“Been to a party?” Catra blinked. “I mean, I’m not _shocked_ , but—”

“Of course I’ve been to parties, asshole. I mean…” Adora let out a shaky exhale. “I’ve never met my partner’s family. Like, ever.”

“You met Lonnie at dinner.”

Adora resisted the urge to roll his eyes. “ _Other_ than Lonnie. I mean, this is—this is your whole family. I don’t want to intrude, or—or make anyone uncomfortable, or—”

“Babe, you’re here because I asked you to be.” Catra raised her eyebrows, trying to make sure her point landed. “You’re more than welcome here. I mean, for God’s sake, you’re the person I wanna ma—” She swallowed, cutting herself off. “Um. We—we’re in a long-term relationship, and—”

“What were you gonna say?” Adora asked, narrowing their eyes. A second later, their eyebrows shot up. “Oh. Wait, do you—do you wanna marry me?”

Catra tried very hard to keep a blush off her face. The rush of heat to her cheeks told her she failed. “That—that’s beside the point.”

“Because that’s where I’m at, too,” Adora said, blinking. “I mean, not _yet_ , obviously, but…” He shrugged. “I dunno. You’re it for me.”

The words came out soft, and were almost casual, but there was a weight to them that settled heavy and light at once in Catra’s chest. She couldn’t help but smile. “You’re it for me, too.”

“Nice,” Adora said, smiling almost shyly. He looked towards the front door and cleared his throat. “Are you ready to go in?”

“Are you?”

“I think so.” Adora paused a moment before reaching over to squeeze Catra’s hand. “I always feel better when you’re with me, so it shouldn’t be too bad. Plus,” He continued, unbuckling his seatbelt, “I eat investors for breakfast, remember?”

Her parents’ house was just as Catra remembered it, but much, much more full. 

The muffled music they heard in the driveway got significantly louder by the time they entered the house, opening the unlocked door to see a swarm of people mingling, talking, and drinking. 

Adora’s eyes widened, and their hand tightened around Catra at the sudden noise. She squeezed back, reassuring them, and leaned up to say, “It’ll be quieter in the backyard. Come on.”

Catra was right. The backyard was smaller than the rest of the house, but that was normal for the area they lived in. Her family had learned quickly how to make the most of the space available to them. 

She took in the sight with a smile. 

A group of people were gathered around the fire pit, a few of her cousins were playing cards at the table, and someone had set up a game of beer pong. Rogelio was playing against her cousin, and she gave the two of them a wave when she saw them. 

“Hey, guys,” She said, giving them a grin. “Long time no see. Hey, is there a cooler out here?”

One of them — Juan Carlos, who was taller than everyone else in the family and never let anyone forget it — nodded. “Catra! We wondered when you’d show up.” 

“We got caught in a bit of traffic coming out of the city,” She said, grinning. “Did you guys get any rain?”

“Nah,” Juan Carlos shrugged. “Not this far out. There’s a cooler over by the fire pit, though,” He said, nodding towards it. 

Catra could pinpoint the exact second his attention turned to Adora, because he raised an eyebrow at seeing their hands linked. “Oh. That’s new,” He said, looking back down at Catra. “Who’s this?”

“My partner,” Catra responded with a tone that left absolutely no room for argument. Being the oldest cousin had some perks, after all. “Adora, this is my cousin Juan Carlos and my brother Rogelio.” 

Rogelio, who had been playing against Juan Carlos, gave them a wave from the other side of the table, and opened his mouth to speak before another family member — one of Catra’s aunts, Adora guessed — pulled him away. 

“It’s nice to meet you,” Adora said, giving him a nervous smile. “Um. Catra’s told me a lot about you.”

Juan Carlos nodded, giving them a smile. “How’d you guys meet?”

Adora blinked, turning to Catra for a second. “Um. It’s— I mean, it’s—”

“You know,” Catra said, hoping her blush wasn’t too visible, “it’s—it’s really not that interesting of a story.”

Adora nodded, trying to keep a smile off their face. “Yeah. We have a mutual friend that set us up, and that’s about it.”

Juan Carlos looked between them for a moment. “Right,” He said, frowning a little. “That’s… fun.”

“Yep,” Catra said weakly. “That’s all that happened.”

She knew they were both acting _significantly_ weirder than the situation called for, but it was too late now. 

Adora seemed to feel it too. They cleared their throat. “Anyway. Um. What—what do you do, Juan Carlos?”

“Oh, I’m finishing up my degree at UCSB right now,” He said, giving them a proud smile and accepting a high-five from Catra. “Catra’s not gonna be the only physicist in the family.” He nodded to Adora. “How about you?”

“Oh! Um. I-I run the Los Angeles branch of Grayskull Industries as our COO,” Adora said, scratching the back of his head. “I moved here from Boston about six months ago.”

There was a beat of silence. Then:

“Wait a second,” Juan Carlos said, blinking. “You’re Adora _Grayskull_?”

“Yep,” Adora said, giving him a weak smile. “Guilty as charged.”

“No, but seriously! I mean, I-I have a buddy studying finance, and he’s over the _moon_ at how good your restructuring efforts have been. It’s all he talks about.”

Adora smiled in surprise. “Seriously?”

“Yeah! If you have the chance, I think you’d really like him. I can run over to his house and—”

“You know, this has been great,” Catra cut in, squeezing at Adora’s hand, “but we were actually gonna find my dad.”

Juan Carlos blinked again, giving the two of them a stunned nod. “Oh! Right. Yeah, he’s—he’s over by the pit.”

Catra practically dragged the two of them away, keeping a close hand on Adora’s as she pulled him into a more secluded part of the backyard. “That was a pretty good first impression.”

Adora scratched at the back of their head, nodding lightly. “It could’ve gone worse.”

“Definitely,” Catra nodded. “At least he likes you. That’s a good sign.” She squeezed Adora’s hand. “Come on. Let’s get a couple of beers, huh? You can meet my parents.”

A tangible sense of fear settled over Adora at the words, but he nodded anyway. Catra watched him steel his face into something that passed for a smile. “That sounds great, baby. Let’s do it.”

“Are you sure?” Catra asked, raising an eyebrow. “Because you still sort of look like you’re about to shit yourself.”

“It’s just nerves.” Adora gave her a smile, and this time it felt more genuine. “I promise. I wanna meet them, baby.”

“Alright.” Catra squeezed their hand and pulled them down for a kiss. “Then let’s do it.”

When they walked over to the fire pit, they found Catra’s parents laughing with a group of their friends and family. Two of Catra’s aunts were there with their husband (and wife, Catra noticed with a small smile), and her dad was in the middle of telling a story she’d heard a million times.

Her mom noticed her first, and stood up instantly to pull her in for a hug. “ _Hola, mija_ ,” She said, leaning back with a smile. “I’m glad you made it. How was the drive?”

“I was asleep for most of it,” Catra said, giving her mom a smile in return. “You should ask Adora. They’re the one that did it.”

Adora was standing a few feet behind her, waiting awkwardly to be introduced, and Catra felt a small flare of fondness at how endearing it was. At the mention of their name, they gave Catra’s mom a small wave.

Catra made a _come-here_ motion with her head, and he jolted to action, walking over awkwardly. “Um. Hi, Dr. Horde. It’s—it’s really nice to meet you. Catra talks about you all the time, and about your research with the school, and it’s _really_ cool stuff, so if you have a second I’d love to—” They cut off with a grunt as Catra elbowed them lightly. 

“Please, call me Daniela,” She said, unable to hide a smile. “I’m happy to talk about my research anytime.” To Catra, she leaned in closer and said, “ _Pensé que él trabaja en negocios_.”

“ _Es cierto_ ,” Adora responded, giving her a small smile. “ _Pero me gusta aprender,_ um—” He cut off, searching for the words. “ _Sobre la historia._ ” 

Instantly, Catra’s head whipped around towards them. “Since when do you speak Spanish?”

“Uh, since elementary school. I mean, it’s been a while, since most of the investors I’ve worked with have been from Norway and Japan, but I started practicing it more after we got together.” Catra was staring at them with an unreadable expression, and it made Adora shift where he stood. “What?”

Daniela hid a smile. “Come say happy birthday to your father, _mija_. You two can figure it out later.” To Adora, she said, “Can I get you a drink?”

“Oh! Yeah, that—that would be great. Thank you, ma’am.”

Daniela rolled her eyes. “I always feel old when people call me that. I have a name, you know.”

“Oh,” Adora said awkwardly. “Um. Right. S—sorry, Dr. Horde.”

“At least we know you were raised with manners,” Daniela said, letting out a sigh. “It’s okay. We’ll work on it.”

Adora blinked. “Um. Okay. Sure.”

Catra’s father had finished his story, and had by now noticed that his oldest daughter was back in the house. “Catra!” He exclaimed, standing up with a grin. “Come give your old man a hug.”

“Hi, dad,” Catra said, unable to hide a smile. “Happy birthday. I put your gift on the dining table next to the other ones.” She looked to Adora for a moment, squeezing their hand. “And… there’s someone I want you to meet.”

Adora gave a small wave before offering a hand for him to shake. “Hi, Dr. Horde. Happy birthday.” 

“Please, call me Carlos,” He said in return, shaking Adora’s hand firmly. “You must be Adora. It’s nice to finally meet you.”

“You too, sir,” Adora said, giving him a smile. “Catra talks about you all the time.”

“All good things, I hope.” Carlos gave Catra a wink. “Please. Have a seat. I was just reminiscing with the family about Catra’s high school days.” He grinned. “I was just about to tell one of my favorite stories, if you’d like to hear it.”

Catra groaned, rolling her eyes. “Ugh, dad, not again. If it’s the apple cart one—”

“It’s always the apple cart one.”

“—You tell it to _everyone_ I introduce you to. Give it a rest,” Catra said, her tone equal parts plaintive and good-natured.

“Because it’s a good story!” Carlos gave her a cheeky smile before turning to Adora with a spark of mischief in his eyes. It was the same one Adora had seen in Catra’s for months, and the idea made them smile. “Alright, let me set the scene. It was the summer before Catra’s senior year of high school—”

“Before my junior year,” She corrected.

Carlos gave her a look. “Before her _junior_ year of high school, my mistake,” He said, rolling his eyes. “And she got a job working for this artisan food and winemaker 10 miles away. It wasn’t a hard job, but it paid well. Most of what she did was transporting supplies back and forth.”

Adora felt something cold against their shoulder, and looked over to see Catra handing them a beer. They took it, giving her a grateful smile, before turning back to Carlos. “So one day,” He said, “they tell her to pick up a few cartons of apples from a supplier in Solvang.” 

He continued with a raised eyebrow. “Now, _I_ suggested she borrow my brother Frank’s truck. It’s what she learned to drive on, and it’s good for carrying stuff like that.” Carlos turned to Catra. “You wanna tell him what you did with them?”

Catra rolled her eyes. “Are you ever gonna let me live this down?”

“Nope.”

“Fine.” Catra let out a long-suffering sigh. “First of all, when they said a _few carts_ , I was under the impression that they meant, like, two or three. So I figured I _wouldn’t_ need an entire truck bed, and I showed up in dad’s Honda Civic.” 

She paused, taking a sip of her beer. “They didn’t mean two or three.” With a sigh, she continued, “They meant _forty_ , dude.”

Adora’s eyebrows shot up. “Forty?”

“Forty. I had to squeeze them into every spare bit of space I could find, and I still had to make, like, six trips. And there was an earthquake right after I got them all in, so a ton spilled over the sides of the boxes they were in.”

Daniela cracked a smile, giving her husband a kiss on the cheek before turning back to Adora. “We found them in the trunk for _weeks_ after. The whole car smelled like rotten fruit.”

Adora wrinkled his nose, unable to keep a grin off his face. “Gross.”

“It was. But that wasn’t the worst part,” Catra said, raising an eyebrow. “The _worst_ part was having to unload all of them. I thought my arms were gonna fall off.”

“The price you pay for being a country girl,” Adora said, giving her a smile. “I get it, though. I worked at an apple orchard for most of high school. Those things get heavy when they pile up.”

Catra cocked her head to the side. “I didn’t know they had fruit on the East Coast.”

Adora blinked. “Is that a joke?”

Catra rolled her eyes, letting out a chuckle. “Of course it’s a joke. I mean, _you_ lived there, so there had to be at least one.”

“Very funny.” Adora couldn’t keep the smile off their face. Already, they felt more relaxed around Catra’s family than they ever had with their own.

If the two of them had been watching, they would have seen Daniela and Carlos share a knowing look. “So, Adora,” Carlos said, smiling. “What’d you two get me for my birthday?”

“ _Don’t_ answer that,” Daniela said good-naturedly, holding up a finger. “He always does this. You have to unwrap it like everyone else, honey. It’s no fun if they spoil it.”

Adora smiled, making a zipper motion across his lips. “Sorry, sir. Looks like I’m sworn to secrecy.”

Catra was giving him an unreadable expression. When he turned, raising his eyebrows in concern, it smoothed over into a smile. She squeezed his hand in reassurance, tapping twice against his arm to make sure he knew she was okay.

“So, dad,” Catra said, turning back to Carlos. “How’re classes going this quarter?”

A proud smile spread across his face. “I swear, these kids get smarter every year. _And_ I get to teach that fluid dynamics class again this quarter.”

“Oh, Catra’s talked about that,” Adora said, smiling. “That’s the subject you wrote your book on, right? It sounds really interesting.”

“It is,” Carlos nodded. “I don’t know how good my lectures are, but my students seem to like them.”

If they were anything compared to the way he told stories — with a cheeky, knowing smile and a glint in his eye that made everyone in the room pay closer attention — Adora figured his students would _love_ him.

“How about you, Cat?” Carlos asked. “How’s your dissertation coming along?”

The answer was slowly. “Uh,” Catra said, scratching the back of her head. “It’s coming. But I’ve been working on it a lot this summer, and I’m hoping to have it done by the end of fall quarter at the latest.”

“I remember those days.” Daniela let out an almost wistful sigh. “Stressful, tiring, and _long_. If you ever need a break from working on it, you’re always welcome here.” Her eyes flicked over to Adora with a smile. “ _Both_ of you.”

Adora couldn’t help but smile. 

They settled quickly into an easy, mellow conversation. Adora was introduced to nearly everyone in Catra’s family, most of whom realized _exactly_ who he was within the first five minutes of talking to him, and said hi to Lonnie as soon as he saw her.

Even with the pressure of his job and the slight sense of fear he felt every time he saw one of Catra’s relatives widen their eyes at meeting him, none of them ever made him feel out of place. The most acknowledgement his salary got, in fact, was Catra’s tia Monica making a harmless joke about him buying the next few 12-packs.

Then it came time to give Carlos his present. 

Technically, it was _two_ presents— one from each of them.

One was a beautiful, hardcover copy of Les Miserables in the original French — which was something he’d always wanted, for reasons Catra still didn’t quite understand considering he didn’t _speak_ French — and the other was a bottle of Adora’s favorite Irish whiskey. 

They shifted side to side as they handed it to him. “Um. Catra mentioned that the two of us had a similar taste in drinks,” They said, biting their lip. “So... I had a bottle flown in a few weeks ago. It’s—it’s from a distillery in Ireland that my uncle runs.”

Carlos stared at it for a moment before he looked back at them. “Thank you,” He said, in a quiet, almost stunned voice. “This is…” He gave them a genuine, appreciative smile. “Thank you.”

It didn’t take long for Adora to realize that something had shifted between them. It wasn’t a bad thing, though. Carlos asked them to have a glass with him, so if anything it was a very, very _good_ thing.

It was new, but in the best way. Adora felt increasingly like they’d be up for anything as long as it was with this group of people. 

So when Lonnie approached him and Catra, and told them in low tones that a few of the adults were going to the beach to watch the sunset, Adora’s response was instant. “We’re in.”

All this time living in Los Angeles, and Adora had never been to the beach. They weren’t drunk — considering the two of them still had to drive home, Adora had only had one beer and half a finger of whiskey — but they were feeling a pleasant buzz from the conversation and the familiarity of it all. 

Catra had, _ahem_ , taken a walk with a few of her cousins a few hours earlier, and was leaning gently into Adora’s side as they walked. She seemed more relaxed than usual around her family, which was still a new concept for them to grasp, but they weren’t complaining. If she was happy, they were happy. 

The sunset was breathtaking, and the sky was the color of fire around it. 

It reflected, bright and burning and catastrophic, over the calm blue water. The mix of elements provided an artistic backdrop for the oil rigs that lined the horizon. It was a beautiful picture.

The beach was a little crowded, given that every college student in a five-mile radius had decided to take photos on it that night, but they began to clear out once the sun dipped down below the horizon. 

Adora, Catra, and Catra’s family did not. 

As the sky began to freckle with stars, Adora felt himself smile. Catra’s parents were engaged in a low, loving conversation a few feet away, and Lonnie was laughing with Kyle and Rogelio about a joke one of them had made. 

It was perfect. 

“You okay?” Catra asked, shifting so her back was against his chest. “You’re being quiet.”

“Of course I’m okay. I’m with you.” Adora smiled, brushing a strand of hair from Catra’s face. “Sorry, I was just thinking.”

Catra rolled her eyes, shuffling back to press herself closer to them. “Okay, sap. What’re you thinking about?”

“About how much I love you,” Adora said simply. “And about how sweet your family is. And— I dunno, about the sky and the ocean.”

“Why the sky and the ocean?” Catra asked, looking up at them. 

It took them a moment to put the feeling into words, but Adora tried. The stars glittered above them as they spoke. 

“I’ve always liked things that are bigger than me,” They said, sighing a little. The waves hit the shore gently, pulling back and forth in a careful, ancient rhythm. “I thought about studying astronomy for years until I found out how much math it takes.”

Catra smiled. “Really?”

“Really,” Adora nodded. “I like how huge space and the ocean are. They’re…” He shook his head, grasping for the right words. “Hard to define. Hard to lock down. You could study them your whole life and keep finding out new stuff.” He looked down, smiling at her. “That’s how I feel with you.”

“Like I’m hard to define?” Catra asked, cocking her head. 

“No, but—” Adora sighed. “Like I could spend my whole life with you and keep learning new things.” They smiled. “I like that feeling a lot.”

Catra leaned up to kiss them, running her hand through the short, spiky hair at the back of their head. It was an awkward angle, but neither of them minded. “I love you,” She said, smiling. “You know that?”

“Of course I do.” Adora smiled. “You show me every day.”

Time passed more quickly than any of them were expecting, and before long the night was drawing to a close. 

Adora gave warm goodbyes to everyone he’d met, smiling and hugging whoever he could, as Catra’s mother took her aside. 

“What is it?” Catra asked, frowning a little. 

“I like them.” Daniela smiled. “Adora, I mean. Your daddoes, too. We were talking about it.”

Catra hadn’t expected anything different, really, but it was still a relief to hear. “Oh. Okay, nice. I-I’m glad.” She looked over at where Adora and Lonnie were talking about law school. “I do, too.”

“Trust me, we know.”

Catra frowned. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

“You’re happier around him,” Daniela said simply. “And he makes you laugh. He treats you well. He’s easy on the eyes—”

“ _Mom_.”

“I’m just saying! I have eyes, babe.” Daniela smiled. 

Catra wrinkled her nose. “Yeah, but… gross.”

“You’re so dramatic,” Daniela said, rolling her eyes. “ _Mira_. You guys love each other, you’re happy together, and he’s head over heels for you. That’s all we could ever hope for.” She reached down to squeeze one of Catra’s hands. “ _Estamos felizes por ti_ , _mija_.” 

Catra smiled. “ _Gracias, mami._ ”

Daniela pulled her in for a tight hug, pressing a kiss to her temple as she stepped back. “ _Maneja con cuidado_ , okay? The roads are still slippery.”

“We will,” Catra said, looking over with a smile at where Adora was tying his shoes. “We’re in good hands.”

*** * ***

The summer ticked by slowly, as though even the days were reluctant to get up and move. 

It was a particularly warm season, too. Catra had always loved the heat, had always loved feeling the rays of the sun hitting her face, and wasn’t complaining. 

Adora, though, was built for the cold. He came home sweaty and red-faced more nights than not — even the air conditioning in his car couldn’t combat the LA sun — and usually insisted on taking a nice, refreshing shower before he made dinner. 

Tonight, though, he came home cold to the touch. 

Catra had finished up a good chunk of her dissertation, and was reading through her lesson plans for the next week to pass the time. 

She looked up with a surprised smile when the door slid open over an hour earlier than normal. “Hey, baby. How was—” Her expression froze before turning into a frown. Adora’s face was a pale, almost ghostly white. “Whoa. What happened?”

Adora swallowed, and tried unsuccessfully to take a breath. All that they managed was a rattling, wheezing noise. “S—sorry,” They said, hands twitching by their sides. “Um. Just—” They loosened their tie, wheezing again. “Bad meeting.”

“Come here,” Catra said without hesitating. She scooted over, making enough room on the couch for Adora to sit next to her. Adora did, and let himself be pulled into a tight, unyielding hug. “I’m right here,” Catra murmured, rubbing at his back. “I’m right here. Talk to me.”

“Sorry,” Adora wheezed against her neck. “I—” They swallowed, clearing their throat. Catra felt their hands tightening at her back. “Our stock _tanked_ last night, so I-I had an emergency meeting with the Board, and—and my dad—” They cut off with a shuddering gasp. 

Catra wrapped her arms around Adora’s back even tighter. “Okay,” She said, taking a deep breath. “Hey. Breathe with me, okay?”

Adora nodded jerkily against her neck. Catra took in a deep, steady inhale and felt Adora’s chest rattle as they tried to match it. She held her breath for a few moments, counting to four in her head before letting it out slowly. 

Adora let out a shaky breath in response, and the wheezing in their throat started to ease. Catra figured it was an improvement. 

She had them take two more deep breaths before their breathing started to even out. Catra pulled a few inches back to look at them. “You’re okay, baby. I’m right here.”

Adora’s eyes were still squeezed shut, but they nodded. “Yeah. Th—thank you.”

“You don’t have to thank me,” Catra said. “Do you wanna tell me more about what happened?”

“Yeah. I—” Adora let out a sigh. “Our stock dropped _really_ far last night for some reason, and a bunch of our investors dropped out because of it, so the Board called an emergency meeting.” He shifted, taking a deep breath. “It was pretty much just three hours of my dad yelling at me.”

“What did he say?”

Adora’s jaw tightened. “That I wasn’t good enough for the job.” They blinked, looking down. “That I wasn’t good enough, period.”

“He’s wrong.” Catra felt a flare of anger inside her, but did her best to stay calm for Adora’s sake. Visible anger seemed to put him on edge. “But… I’m sorry that happened,” She said carefully. “I’m here.”

“I know, baby.” Adora shrugged, leaning closer into Catra’s touch. “But… yeah. After that, I had to go call all the investors that dropped out and beg them to reconsider, and it—it was just—”

“Horrible,” Catra finished. “God. It sounds like it.” She scratched lightly at the back of their head, watching them lean into it. 

“What’ve you been up to?” Adora asked, closing their eyes. “Missed you.”

Catra looked over at the pile of papers on the coffee table. “Grading, mostly. But I finished part of my dissertation. Once the lab gets back to me about some results, I’ll be done. I just have to edit it.”

Adora opened his eyes with a small smile. “That’s amazing, baby. I’m proud of you.”

“Thank you.” Catra let herself bask in the glow of pride for a second before she spoke again. “I heard there’s a new episode of Bake-Off out, you know.”

“Can we watch it?” Adora asked in a small voice. 

Catra smiled, pressing a kiss to his head. “Of course we can. I thought you’d never ask.”

Normally, watching Bake-Off meant talking _over_ Bake-Off. Neither of them were professional bakers, of course, but they had picked up enough of the techniques to critique the contestants that ignored them. 

Today, it was quiet. They watched in relative silence, and Adora’s head stayed on her chest or in her hands the entire time. 

About halfway through the episode, Catra realized Adora was looking at her. She paused it, turning towards them with a look of concern. “Are you okay?”

Adora nodded, but kept staring at her with a strange expression on his face. He leaned down to kiss Catra’s hand where it rested against his cheek. 

There was a flicker of something in the lower part of Catra’s stomach at the motion. If it was what she thought, their night was about to get much more interesting, but if not it would only be awkward. 

Catra swallowed, running her thumb along Adora’s lips. “What do you need right now?”

Adora swallowed hard, eyes darkening visibly, and Catra knew she’d made the right choice. “I just don’t want to think.”

Her thumb slowed, and Adora parted their lips ever so slightly for her to slide it in. Catra let it rest there for a moment. 

“Well,” She said, pressing gently down against Adora’s tongue, “I think we can make that happen.” She lingered there a few seconds longer before she drew it out and wiped it against Adora’s cheek.

This was something new, but something both of them had been _more_ than willing to try. 

Adora was, in their own words, a stone top. Both of them were very comfortable with that, and Catra had to admit that being a pillow princess had its perks. She’d never felt so loved, so seen, or so desirable in her life. 

But being a top didn’t always equate to being in charge. 

Sometimes Catra wanted to take control, and sometimes Adora wanted to turn his brain off and be good for her. 

This was one of those times.

As good as he looked in his work outfit — which, today was a black suit and tie over a crisp white shirt — Adora was still fully clothed. 

That wouldn’t do. 

Catra leaned back, observing them for a moment, before she said, “Take your suit jacket off and kneel for me.” Adora nodded, rushing to comply, before Catra put a hand on their chest. “Slowly,” She said, running her eyes up and down their body. “You know I like to watch.” 

Adora swallowed, nodding, and stood up for a moment before pausing. They turned to her, straightening their back and positioning themself so she could see all of them. Catra leaned back against the couch cushions, raising an eyebrow. 

With slow, deliberate movements, Adora slid the jacket off of one arm, then the other. 

The fabric of their shirt pulled taut with the motions, staying tucked tight into the black slacks they wore, and their tie remained in a perfect knot around their neck. 

Catra watched for a moment, tilting her head to the side. “Shirt off, too. I wanna see your chest.” Adora, nodded and moved to loosen their tie, hands shaking only a little in anticipation. Catra stopped them with a hand in the air. 

“No,” She said, pointing to the tie. “That stays on.”

Adora nodded, swallowing hard. One by one, he undid the buttons of his shirt, blushing under the stare Catra was giving him. 

She couldn’t help but sigh seeing his shoulders and chest again, watching his muscles ripple gently as he let the shirt fall to the floor. The tie stayed tight around his neck.

They met Catra’s eyes with a kind of desperation she savored every moment of. Then, Adora set the jacket on the back of a chair, moved the coffee table out of the way, and dropped slowly to their knees in front of her. 

Adora clasped their hands behind their back, knowing not to touch her until given permission. 

“Good boy,” Catra said, reaching a hand out to stroke gently at his cheek. “Now open your mouth.”

Adora did. Catra leaned forward, squeezing gently at their jaw, and spit into it before pushing their mouth closed again. She waited for Adora’s throat to bob, and watched them swallow before releasing their jaw. 

“Who do you belong to?” Catra asked, raising her eyebrows. 

“You, ma’am,” Adora said, meeting her eyes. “Only you.”

“That’s right. You’re all mine. And you’re gonna make me feel good, aren’t you?” Adora nodded furiously, and Catra felt a slow smile curl across her lips. “Good boy.” 

Slowly, watching Adora’s eyes darken, she pulled down the shorts she had been wearing. Laundry day was coming up, and she hadn’t needed to leave the apartment, so Catra hadn’t felt the need to wear underwear. 

Adora let out a shaky gasp when she saw the curly brown hair between her legs. “Please,” He said, voice cracking. “Can—can I please—”

The ache between her legs was getting hard to deny, but she didn’t want this to end _too_ quickly. “Not so fast, baby,” Catra said, fisting a hand in his hair. “You’re gonna eat me out until I tell you to stop, but you don’t get to touch until I tell you. Understood?” 

Adora let out a needy, almost plaintive whine, but they nodded. 

“Use your words, baby.”

Adora’s eyes closed, and they fought to swallow. “Y—yes, ma’am. I understand”

“Good. Stay right there,” She said, running an appreciative eye over the breadth of Adora’s shoulders and the skinny black tie around their neck. 

Adora nodded, closing his eyes in pleasure as Catra’s hand tightened. “Okay.”

“What’s your color?”

“Green, baby,” Adora said, opening their eyes for a moment. They gave her a small smile to reassure her.

Catra nodded. “Good. Keep your eyes on me.” Adora did. 

Slowly, Catra’s hands slid down her body. She ran them over her tits, stopping for a moment to play with her nipples, and closed her eyes at the feeling as her mouth fell open in pleasure. 

“Fuck, that feels good,” She breathed, biting her lip. In front of her, Adora let out a ragged, shaky gasp, which told Catra her plan was going _swimmingly_. 

One of her hands traveled lower. With a slow, careful movement, she collected some of the wetness at her entrance on her fingers and pushed two shallowly inside herself. 

Catra let out a gasp at the feeling, squeezing her eyes shut even tighter. She let out a whine as her arm brushed against her clit, jolting her hips up to get some more pressure against it. 

“Fuck,” She groaned, sliding her fingers in and out of herself. Catra could feel Adora’s eyes burning into her, and opened her own to see them staring openly. “What is it, baby?”

For a moment, Catra wondered what to do next. Adora’s expression was equal parts desperate and ragged, and they looked like they were on the verge of losing their mind. 

Her next step popped into her mind instantly. 

Catra gave Adora a slow, almost menacing grin before bringing her hand up to her lips. Then, making sure Adora was watching, she slid her slick-covered fingers into her mouth, groaning at the taste of herself. 

In front of her, Adora gasped, “Please. Fuck. P—please. I-I wanna taste you.”

Catra hummed around her fingers before releasing them with a _pop_. “Yeah, baby?” She asked. With another grin, she brought her fingers back down to her entrance and gathered some of her wetness on them before leaning forward. “Open your mouth.”

Adora did without hesitation, and closed his eyes as soon as Catra slid her fingers in. He closed his lips around her fingers, bobbing his head back and forth gently. Catra could feel his tongue running gently along them, cleaning them off as best as he could. 

She slid her fingers out of his mouth, wiping them against his cheek, and couldn’t help but gasp at how wrecked he looked already. “Good,” Catra said, scratching lightly at his head. “Good. You wanna taste me, baby?”

“God, yes.” Catra nodded. She fisted a hand hard in Adora’s hair, and without waiting a second longer she pulled their head to where she needed it most. 

Adora didn’t need any more direction than that. 

Catra’s head fell back against the cushion as she felt Adora dive in, running his tongue along her entrance. She felt her hands tighten in his hair as he pushed shallowly in, licking at the spongy patch just inside.

“Fuck,” She breathed, resting her leg against his back. She could see his hands clenched into fists behind his back, but he wasn’t moving them. “God. Fuck.”

Adora looked up at her, humming lightly as they moved their head back and forth, and Catra let out a harsh exhale at the vibrations it sent up her spine.

They switched from licking her G-spot to running the edge of their tongue in quick, tight circles around her clit. Catra’s eyes rolled back in her head, and she couldn’t stop her hips from jerking up to meet Adora’s mouth. 

“Just like that, baby. Just— _fuck_ , Adora,” She groaned, feeling Adora suck her clit into his mouth. “Fuck. Just—just like that.”

Adora picked up his pace, sucking hard at Catra’s clit, and flicked at it with the tip of his tongue. 

Catra could feel herself getting close, but she had an image to maintain. Reaching down, she grabbed a fistful of his tie and pulled hard, keeping him in place. 

“Lay your tongue flat,” She gasped, rolling her hips against their face. Adora complied instantly, laying their tongue out as wide and flat as it would go, and watched as Catra grinded against it. 

His pupils were blown wide and dark, and the last thing Catra thought before she came was how good he looked on his knees. 

Catra bucked against his face hard, hips jerking erratically against his tongue, and felt him let out a shaky, harsh exhale against her. She was only half-conscious of how tight her grip on his hair was. If the stuttering groan he let out against her was any indication, though, neither of them were complaining.

Adora’s hands had turned white from how hard he was fighting to keep them behind his back, but they stayed there even as Catra unhooked her leg from behind his back and pulled him up by the tie. “Kiss me,” She said in between gasps. 

Adora did. They leaned forward, meeting Catra’s lips eagerly, and was only halfway aware of the slick covering the entire bottom part of their face. Catra groaned at the taste of herself, running her tongue along Adora’s lips, and pulled away with a gasp. 

“God, you’re so fucking good at that,” Catra panted, closing her eyes. “And you’ve done so well keeping your hands behind your back for me.”

“Thank you,” Adora said, clearing his throat. “Can I—can I touch you?”

“That depends.” Catra raised her eyebrows, pulling harder on their tie. “How do you want to touch me?”

Adora swallowed, closing his eyes at the feeling of the tie’s knot digging into his throat. It was just present enough to remind him of his place. “F—fingers,” He managed, fighting to keep his eyes open. “Or my cock. However you’d prefer.”

Truth be told, Catra didn’t want to wait for Adora to put their dick on. She just wanted _them_. “Fingers,” She said, nodding. “And I want you to touch my tits.” She bit her lip, thinking about the best way to do it. “Sit down on the couch and wait for me.”

Adora nodded furiously, sitting down next to her with their legs spread. 

Their arms rested by their sides, and Catra took two of their fingers and pulled gently. Adora opened their hand, extending their pointer and middle finger, and watched Catra with a somewhat confused look on their face until she positioned it right over their hips. 

They seemed to realize _exactly_ what she wanted just as she settled her hips on either side of Adora’s legs and started to lower herself down. 

Catra put one hand on the back of the couch and kept Adora’s tie tight in her other one as she sunk down onto his fingers. “God, I love your hands,” She said, eyes closing in pleasure. “They’re _so_ fucking big. You stretch me so well, baby boy.”

Adora swallowed, nodding, and watched her with a hungry expression in their eyes. Catra rolled her hips experimentally, gasping a little at how deep Adora’s fingers hit inside her, and brought their other hand up to her tits. 

He seemed to remember his orders, and slid his hand up her stomach slowly, running his thumb over the soft skin beneath one of her breasts. At the first swipe of his fingers over her nipple, Catra’s hips stuttered. 

“Just like that,” She nodded, closing her eyes. Her hips picked up their rhythm. Adora readjusted their hand, opening their palm up wider, and Catra gasped as it brushed her clit. 

That wasn’t all, though. It seemed that with every roll of her hips, Adora’s fingers brushed against a new, shallower spot inside her. It felt different than the usual deep satisfaction penetration brought her, and made her eyes almost roll back in her head. 

“There,” Catra said, nodding. Her eyes slid closed. “Curl your fingers, baby boy—” Adora did, instantly, and the feeling made her back stiffen in pleasure.

She let her head fall backward, letting her free hand press against Adora’s chest, and rolled her hips down against their hand. “Fuck. God, you make me feel so good,” She gasped, eyes falling closed. “Do you see this, baby?”

Adora nodded, his breath coming out shaky. “Y—yes, ma’am.”

“All you. You’re so good.” Along with a mounting pressure in her lower stomach, Catra could feel a new, odd sensation building in her. Her nails dug angry half-moons into the skin of his chest as her hand tightened against it.

It felt almost like she needed to pee, but that was something she _absolutely_ would not tolerate. She shoved the idea aside as best as she could, trying to focus on Adora’s fingers. “You’re so fucking good,” Catra repeated. “My good, sweet, handsome boy.” 

Adora’s palm dragged over her nipple, and she couldn’t help but gasp at the feeling. “Fuck. Just—just like that, baby, just—”

Her orgasm hit her almost out of nowhere, but it had all the force of the last one and then some. Her body shook with the strength of it, eyes rolling back in her head as she clenched down around Adora’s fingers. Catra’s thighs squeezed together, and her hands tightened against Adora’s chest.

It felt…. different. 

That was the best way to describe it. It was a different kind of orgasm. If Catra didn’t know better, she would have said it felt… 

_Wetter_. 

Catra’s eyes flew open as Adora let out a gasp, and she looked down to see her slick dripping down his hand onto his pants. There was more of it— _much_ more of it than usual.

 _No_. 

There was no way. She hadn’t. There was no _possible_ way she had squirted.

Right?

“Oh, _fuck_ ,” Catra said, panting. “Fuck. Did I—”

“Did you—” Adora blinked, staring at the puddle collecting on his pants. “Oh. Oh, wow.”

“Fuck, I-I’m sorry—”

“No!” Adora shook his head, eyes wide. “No, it’s— I like it,” He said, smiling in awe. “It—it was hot. Like, really, _really_ hot.”

“Oh. Okay. Then I told you,” Catra said, trying to control her breathing. “I told you you were good at that.” She leaned forward, resting their foreheads together. “My good boy.” 

Adora smiled, letting his eyes fall closed. “All yours.”

As good as she felt, she was more sensitive than usual, and Adora’s fingers were getting to be too much inside her. “Can—can you pull out?”

Adora nodded, sliding his fingers out slowly. Catra let out a gasp at the sudden lack of pressure inside her, feeling more of her wetness slip out. She pulled Adora in for another hug, pressing their foreheads together. “Fuck. That was amazing.”

A small, rosy blush covered Adora’s cheeks. He smiled shyly. “Thank you.”

“Baby, you don’t have to thank me. Shit, you made me squirt. I should be thanking you.” Catra stroked her thumb along his cheekbone. “How do you feel?”

In response, Adora wrapped their arms tightly around Catra’s torso, resting their head against her chest. They nodded a few times, closing their eyes, and Catra smiled to herself. “Okay, baby. I’m right here.”

They stayed like that for a few minutes, with Catra focusing on her breathing and the aftereffects of her orgasm. Adora was quiet, but their breathing had evened out.

“Thank you,” Adora said again. “I—” He let out a quiet breath. “I think I needed that.”

Catra leaned back, scratching gently at his scalp. “That’s okay. I’m glad I could help.”

“You did,” Adora said. “I-I needed to feel… I dunno how to explain it. Useful, I guess.” They adjusted their grip on Catra, pulling away to look at her face. “I needed to feel like I was doing something right.”

Their voice broke a little on the last word, and Catra felt her heart break with it. “Oh, baby,” She murmured, pulling them closer. “You did. You were.” She pressed a kiss to the top of Adora’s head. “Of course you were. Your dad doesn’t know what the fuck he’s talking about.”

Adora nodded against her, but it didn’t give Catra the impression that he believed it. “Listen to me,” Catra said, leaning back. She took Adora’s face in her hands, meeting his eyes with a firm stare. “He doesn’t. You’re doing such good work with them, baby. He’s just—” She waved a flippant hand. “He’s just a bitch, honestly.”

Adora let out a surprised laugh, then another one. He rested his forehead against Catra’s collarbone, feeling her tuck his head under her chin. “You think so?”

“I know so.” Catra fiddled with Adora’s tie for a moment, smoothing it out. “And… baby, you don’t have to stay working for him. Any company would kill to have you.”

Adora paused, leaning back. To her surprise, there was less shock on his face than she was expecting. “I know,” Adora said quietly. “I’ve thought about quitting. I mean, God knows I have enough money.” 

Catra nodded, raising her eyebrows. She pressed a kiss to his forehead. “Well, we don’t have to think about it now. Let’s shower, get cleaned up, and… maybe order some Thai? I don’t really want to cook.”

“Neither do I.” Adora smiled. “So that sounds perfect.” Catra stood, legs shaking as she got off of their lap, and Adora let out a low whistle. “Damn. You really… _released_ a lot of liquid, huh?”

“Shut up,” Catra said, looking down at their lap. Her eyes widened. “Oh, shit. Those are gonna be _ruined_.”

Adora waved a hand. “It’s fine. I’ll call my tailor tomorrow and have some more made.” He reached down, picking Catra’s shorts up from where she’d discarded them. “Want these back?”

Catra opened her mouth to respond, but was interrupted by the sound of her phone ringing. She frowned. She hadn’t been expecting anyone, especially not now. “Sorry,” She said, reaching for it. “Let me take this.”

She didn’t recognize the number, but the area code was familiar. She had family that lived in Texas, after all. “That’s weird,” Catra said. “It’s a Houston number.”

Adora stood up, walking over with a frown. With the tie around their neck and their chest bare, they resembled the intro to a porno more than a business executive. “Weird. I’m gonna get the shower going while you answer, okay?”

Catra nodded, accepting the call. “Catra Horde,” She said, pulling her pants back on. “Who am I—”

Her eyes widened when the other person began to speak. Catra’s mouth fell open, then closed again. 

“I-I would be honored,” She said, eyes as wide as saucers. “Um. I-I’m finishing up my dissertation now, so I would be ready at the end of fall quarter. Um. So—so January at the latest.”

Adora poked his head out from the door to their room, frowning in confusion. Catra held up a finger, nodding as the other person spoke. “Yeah. Yeah, absolutely. If you have a date in mind, I-I can clear my schedule, and—” She nodded. “Yeah, that’s perfect. We’ll be in touch.”

The call ended, and Catra stared at her phone for a second. 

Adora raised her eyebrows. “Who was that?”

“Um,” Catra said, blinking. “That—that was NASA. They offered me a job in Houston after I finish my PhD.”

A beat.

“Holy fuck.” Adora’s eyes widened, and a huge, gleeful smile broke out on his face. “Holy _fuck_ , Catra!” He pulled her in for a massive hug. “Oh my God,” He said, blinking. “You’re taking it, right?”

“Oh, absolutely,” Catra said. She blinked. “Wait, but—” She swallowed. “Is that okay?”

“Are you kidding?” Adora grinned. “Baby, that’s _incredible_. I’m so happy for you!”

“Yeah, but—” Catra shrugged. “I dunno. We’d have to do distance, and—”

“Why?” Adora frowned. “I would come with you. I-I mean, if you wanted me to. I don’t want to assume anything.”

Catra blinked. “Babe, your job is here. You’re literally in charge of this branch.”

“Yeah, but we just talked about how I don’t have to stay with it. And, honestly,” Adora shrugged, “you’re it for me. I can find a job anywhere, but none of it means anything if I don’t get to come home to you.”

“You’re serious?” Catra asked, blinking. “Like, if I move, you want to come?”

Adora smiled, reaching for her hand. “I’m serious. We can start looking at places tonight if you want.” Catra raised her eyebrows, but they cut her off before she could say anything. “Or not! I just wanna make sure everything is set when you get the job.”

“I love you,” Catra said, stunned. “Like, I _love you_ love you.”

“Well, I _love you_ love you too.” Adora brought her hand up to his lips, pressing a series of gentle kisses to her knuckles. 

“So we’re actually doing this?”

Adora smiled. “I’m all in if you are.”

Catra thought for a moment about the time they’d spent together, about the endless nights she had spent sleeping soundly in Adora’s arms, and about the infinite happiness they had brought her. 

She thought about their trip to London, about Adora hanging onto every word of one of her father’s stories, and of years of family holidays that she could bring them to. 

Finally, Catra thought about Adora. She thought about their smile, about their hands and their chest and their slowly deepening voice, and about the life that they could— the life that they _would_ have together.

And Catra smiled. 

She leaned up to press a gentle kiss to his lips, kissing him soundly before pulling away. “I’m all in, too.”

*** * ***

_SOUTHEAST HOUSTON. TWO YEARS LATER._

_AN EPILOGUE._

The bells over the coffee shop’s door jingled as Catra walked inside. 

Adora had been cleaning up behind the bar, but popped up with a grin as soon as he saw her. “Hey! There’s my favorite customer,” He said, smiling. He wiped off his hands with a nearby towel, throwing it over his shoulder. “What can I get for you, Dr. Horde?”

Catra smiled. “Good to see you too, Mr. Grayskull,” She said, leaning over the counter to give them a peck. “A double espresso, please.”

“A double after lunch?” Adora raised an eyebrow, going back behind the bar. “Must’ve been a tough day. I’m making you a single, though.”

Catra rolled her eyes. “What happened to _the customer is always right_?”

“The customer is _usually_ right,” Adora said, packing the espresso in the machine. “I just like making exceptions for you.” They winked at her. “It’s already 6pm, baby. You’ll be up all night.”

“That’s coming out of your tip.”

“That’s a shame,” Adora said, looking back at her with a wink. “I wonder how I’ll _ever_ make it up to you.”

Catra rolled her eyes again, letting out a chuckle. “I’m sure you’ll think of something.”

“How about this,” Adora started. He raised an eyebrow. “If you take the single, I’ll make margaritas tonight.”

“And a back massage?”

“Oh, _always_ a back massage,” Adora scoffed. “You sit at a desk all day designing shit, babe. I’m surprised you haven’t folded in two.” 

Catra cracked a grin. “We have a deal.”

Adora smiled again, leaning over the counter to give her a longer kiss. They sighed against her mouth. “I missed you.”

“I missed you, too,” Catra said. “How was work?”

Adora let out a sigh, launching into a full explanation of their day, while Catra smiled and leaned against the counter. 

Both of them knew the drill by now. After he finished, he would ask her the same question, and she would gripe about how annoying some of her coworkers were and gush about her project while he made her drink.

This had become an almost-nightly part of their routine. 

Traffic coming into Houston was brutal, as always, which meant Catra usually got home about half an hour later than she wanted to. That was okay, though. 

Adora’s coffee shop closed around 5 anyway, so by the time she came home they’d be closing up for the day. It worked out in her favor.

After moving to Texas — specifically, to a suburb near the Johnson Space Center called League City — Adora had drifted for a while. 

They’d quit their job the day after Catra’s commencement ceremony, and had (with Catra’s blessing and input, of course) made arrangements for the two of them to move to Houston the following week. 

But he hadn’t wanted to go back into business. 

It was a soul-sucking profession, and one full of numbers and backstabbing. It was, quite frankly, more trouble than it was worth. They wanted to give back to their community, too. It was hard to do that with a company that only had its best interests at heart.

Unfortunately, Adora was still _excellent_ at managing people. 

So, when he found out that the coffee shop across the street from their apartment had fallen on hard times and was in need of new ownership, he had been the first buyer to offer his name. 

Adora had paid double what the sellers had asked for it, of course, but that was more out of courtesy than anything else. They had also kept on all the existing employees and added more, as well as bumping their hourly wages up to something more livable. 

They’d renamed it, too: what was once _La Bean Nuit_ became _The Cat’s Cradle_ in Catra’s honor, and quickly became a focal point for the community it served. 

Adora boosted the shop’s wifi until it rivaled the router he’d had in Los Angeles, and had instated half-price afternoons for high school students for the month leading up to finals weeks, college application deadlines, and AP testing.

They gave their employees paid vacation time, mandatory breaks every few hours, and a stool to sit at when they worked the register. 

The shop broke even within the first two months of his ownership. 

For the first time in his life, he seemed well and truly proud of the work he was doing. 

Catra was, too. 

NASA provided its own challenges, of course, but they were nothing Catra couldn’t handle. As it happened, a few of her colleagues were familiar with her father’s work, and talked about his book on fluid dynamics as if it was a piece of scripture. 

The work was hard, it was fast-paced, and Catra loved every fucking second of it. 

She came home every night exhausted, high off of the thrill of working with people smarter than she was, but she wouldn’t have traded it for a thing. Adora’s coffee was excellent, after all. It was a small price to pay for a bit of exhaustion.

Plus, it gave her the chance to see Melog. 

They’d found him in the back room while the coffee shop was undergoing a renovation. He had been hiding in a desiccated bag of firewood, where the only letters left were _me Log_. The two of them had decided it was as good a name as any.

He’d only been a scrawny kitten then, but a steady diet and an endless flow of love — both from customers and from the two of them — had made him a healthy, round cat. 

Now, Melog was lounging on a table near the back of the store, soaking in the last rays of sun as they meandered through the window. He looked up at Catra, blinking slowly as they made eye contact, and let out a small _mrrp_ as if to greet her.

“Hey, little man,” Catra said, smiling. She walked over, picking his carrier up from the ground. “Time to go home.”

As soon as she put it on the table next to him, he stood, stretching lazily before sauntering over to it. Melog chirped at her again as he stepped inside, laying down politely. Catra closed up the front of the carrier and lifted him up. 

“Ready to go home, baby?” She asked, stopping in front of Adora with an expectant look. Melog’s carrier rested under her arm.

They looked up, putting a lid on a small cup of espresso, and paused. A smile spread slowly across their face as they took in the sight of Catra standing in the late afternoon sun. She looked radiant. Time would never change that.

There were all sorts of things he wanted to say to her in return.

_I love you_ , for one. _I never thought I’d have this_ , for another. 

_Will you marry me,_ for a third. 

That one could wait a little longer, though. The ring they’d ordered was still in transit, and Catra’s parents wouldn’t fly in for another few weeks. It required a few more moving parts.

But the day would come soon. They had talked about marriage in less far-off terms over the last few months, and the fact that both of them now had steady jobs and stable incomes helped ease both of their minds.

And, honestly, Adora had known since their first proper date that Catra was the person they’d wanted to marry. 

It had been less of a sudden _love-at-first-sight_ kind of realization and more of a slow, measured understanding.

 _Oh, it’s you,_ Adora had thought. _It’s going to be you._

They’d been planning their proposal speech for months now, but it could wait a few more weeks.

Tonight, Adora settled for going home. 

“Yeah. I’m ready,” They said, walking out from behind the counter with a smile. Adora pressed a gentle kiss to Catra’s forehead, grabbing her drink for her and opening the door. “Lead the way.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thank you guys so much for your support :) if you wanna yell at lex and i, we're on twitter @brightb0lts and @hetheyadora and on tumblr @brightbolts and @adorasheart :)

**Author's Note:**

> if you like this kind of content and want to see more, follow alex & i on twitter @brightb0lts and @adoragayskull and on tumblr @brightbolts and @adorasheart!


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